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{{Infobox book
{{Infobox book
| name = Everything Tastes Better with Bacon
| name = Everything Tastes Better with Bacon

Revision as of 07:53, 21 June 2011

Everything Tastes Better with Bacon
A double bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on a plate. Overlaid text reads: Everything Tastes Better with Bacon
Cover
AuthorSara Perry
LanguageEnglish
SubjectCooking
PublisherChronicle Books
Publication date
2002
Publication placeUnited States
Pages132
ISBN0811832392
OCLC47100742
LC Class2001037240

Everything Tastes Better with Bacon: 70 Fabulous Recipes for Every Meal of the Day is a book about cooking with bacon, written by Sara Perry, an author, food commentator, and columnist for The Oregonian. It was published in 2002 by Chronicle Books. Perry describes her original concept of recipes combining sugar and bacon. Her book includes 70 recipes for bacon-flavored dishes and desserts.

The book received positive reviews, and its recipes were selected for inclusion in The Best American Recipes 2003–2004. The St. Petersburg Times classed it among "the genre's most interesting and unique cookbooks", the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlighted it in the article "Favorite Cookbooks for 2002", and The Denver Post included it in a list of best cookbooks. Recipes from the work have been featured in related cookbooks, and its impact served to increase interest in cooking with bacon.

Content summary

Perry explains her feelings about bacon in the book's introduction: "In the morning, the sound and smell of bacon cooking in the skillet give me the feeling that I have time. I can relax and savor the day."[1] The beginning of her work provides background on the phrase "bringing home the bacon", introduces the reader to types of bacon, and describes methods of storing it.[2] The book offers 70 recipes for bacon-flavored dishes,[3][4] in nine chapters organized by topics including: breakfast, greens, pasta meals, side dishes, party servings, desserts and appetizers.[5][6][7] Recipes include a sandwich using bacon and other ingredients,[8] a bacon crunch topping for ice cream,[9] a bacon concoction to top a fruit crisp,[4] and a piecrust that incorporates bacon.[10] Methods are offered for cooking bacon on a stovetop, in an oven, and under a broiler to maximize its flavor and appearance.[7][11][12] The book is illustrated throughout with photographs by Sherri Giblin.[13]

Background

Columnist for The Oregonian and resident of Portland, Oregon,[14][15] radio restaurant commentator,[16] and cookbook writer, Sara Perry had authored four books prior to Everything Tastes Better with Bacon: The New Complete Coffee Book, The New Tea Book, Christmastime Treats and Weekends with the Kids.[16] Her editor at Chronicle Books suggested bacon to her as a cookbook subject.[17] Bacon was becoming increasingly popular at the time, but Perry believed a paucity of recipes would make writing the book difficult.[17] Recalling her fondness for honey-baked ham, she combined sugar and bacon to create dishes,[17] and realized that bacon could be used like "a good spice or wine" in flavoring dishes including salads and pastas.[18] She discovered that bacon increased the sweet and salt tastes of food.[19] Everything Tastes Better with Bacon was published in English in paperback format by Chronicle Books in 2002.[20][21] A subsequent edition in paperback was published in French in 2004 by Les Editions de l'Homme, as part of the series: "What a dish!"[22][23]

Reception

Everything Tastes Better with Bacon received a generally positive reception from reviewers and food critics, and the Chicago Tribune reported that it sold 30,000 copies in its first month of publication.[24] Janet F. Keeler of the St. Petersburg Times commented positively on the book's title, and noted the work was covered by food critics who included its recipes in articles about the subject.[25] Keeler posited that the Atkins diet helped enhance the book's popularity.[25] She classed Everything Tastes Better with Bacon among the more intriguing cookbooks within the topic.[26] Sheri Giblin's photography in the book received favorable commentary from Cindy Hoedel of The Kansas City Star.[13] The Arizona Daily Star highlighted the book in a section "Hot Reads".[27] Assistant Texas Taste Editor for The Dallas Morning News Laura H. Ehret wrote that the book successfully conveys the experience of consuming bacon.[28] Marty Meitus wrote for the Rocky Mountain News that the book had contributed to his increased appetite for bacon dishes.[29] Meitus recommended dessert recipes including Hazelnut-Bacon Candy Crunch, Peanut Butter Cookies with Bacon Brittle, Pear-Apple Crisp with Brown Sugar-Bacon Topping and Ruby Raisin Mincemeat Tart.[29] Steve Smith, executive chef at Dixon's Downtown Grill in Denver, Colorado, was inspired by Perry's "Maple Sundae" recipe and used it to create his own macadamia-bacon crunch ice cream dessert.[30]

Writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Marlene Parrish gave the book a favorable review, highlighting it in an article "Favorite Cookbooks for 2002".[31] Parrish wrote that she enjoyed sampling some of the recipes from the book.[31] Parrish added that Dr. Robert Atkins would think favorably of the "Gorgonzola Cheeseburgers with Bacon" dish.[31] The Denver Post included the book in a list of best cookbooks.[32] Another article for the same newspaper highlighted recipes in the book including Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Cobb Salad, Pear-Apple Crisp with Brown Sugar-Bacon Topping, and Bacon Brittle.[15] A review in The Toronto Star criticized Perry's lack of creativity in her choice of recipes.[33] The review concluded the book was a good deal compared to other cookbooks on the subject, yet noted its lack of comprehensiveness.[33] Michele Anna Jordan of The Press Democrat recommended Perry's work, commenting, "The book ... is clearly a work of passion; her exuberance is infectious."[34]

Impact

Everything Tastes Better with Bacon is a niche work within the genre of cookbooks.[26][6] Christian Science Monitor noted in a 2003 article that bacon had been "vilified by nutritionists", but was becoming an increasingly used cooking ingredient.[35] Perry stated to the publication that bacon had undergone a renaissance period.[35] Several recipes from the book were selected for inclusion in The Best American Recipes 2003–2004: The Year's Top Picks from Books, Magazines, Newspapers, and the Internet.[36][37] Perry's recipe for "Succulent Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp" was referenced in the 2003 book, Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue.[38] Fran McCullough, the author of The Best American Recipes, commented that Everything Tastes Better with Bacon was a surprising addition to the field.[25] The Atlantic commented that three years after the book's publication, bacon had entered a "cult stage", and was as popular as chocolate or olive oil.[39] Leah A. Zeldes observed in a 2006 article for the Chicago Sun-Times that the book contributed to the pattern of works displaying the adaptability of bacon in cooking recipes.[6] In his 2009 book Hungry Monkey, author Matthew Amster-Burton commented on the phenomena involving bacon and books on the subject in prior years, listing the book along with The Bacon Cookbook and Seduced by Bacon.[40]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Crooks 2002, p. D1.
  2. ^ Saunders 2002, p. C4.
  3. ^ English 2002.
  4. ^ a b McCarthy 2002, p. A01.
  5. ^ Perry 2002, p. 7.
  6. ^ a b c Zeldes 2006, p. S1.
  7. ^ a b Lawson 2003, p. 12D.
  8. ^ Meitus 2003b, p. 3D.
  9. ^ Longino 2002.
  10. ^ Eddy 2002a, p. K5.
  11. ^ Mahoney 2003, p. D-1.
  12. ^ Cichy 2003, p. 4E.
  13. ^ a b Hoedel 2002, p. E2.
  14. ^ Julian 2002, p. 33.
  15. ^ a b Browning-Blas 2002, p. M-07.
  16. ^ a b Perry 2003, p. 121.
  17. ^ a b c Keeler 2002, p. 1C.
  18. ^ The Sacramento Bee staff 2002, p. F1.
  19. ^ Smith 2002, p. D1.
  20. ^ WorldCat 2011a.
  21. ^ Perry 2002, p. 4.
  22. ^ WorldCat 2011b.
  23. ^ Perry 2004.
  24. ^ Eddy 2002b, p. 1.
  25. ^ a b c Keeler 2003, p. 1D.
  26. ^ a b Keeler 2008, p. 5E.
  27. ^ Burch 2002, p. F1.
  28. ^ Ehret 2002, p. 6F.
  29. ^ a b Meitus 2003a, p. 5D.
  30. ^ Browning-Blas 2003, p. F-01.
  31. ^ a b c Parrish 2002, p. F-1.
  32. ^ Husted 2002, p. FF-09.
  33. ^ a b The Toronto Star staff 2002, p. D05.
  34. ^ Jordan 2002, p. D1.
  35. ^ a b Paulson 2003, p. 16.
  36. ^ McCullough 2003, pp. 84–85, 280, 284.
  37. ^ Bonwich 2004, p. 1.
  38. ^ Jamison 2003, p. 340.
  39. ^ Kummer 2005.
  40. ^ Amster-Burton 2009, p. 63.

References

Further reading

Reviews
Related
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