By Bruce Cochrane.
The Manager Public Relations and Consumer Marketing Programs with Manitoba Pork says the unique flavor and the versatility of bacon continues to drive its popularity among consumers.
August is Bacon Month in Manitoba, Canada's largest bacon producing province.
Susan Riese, the Manager of Public Relations and Consumer Marketing Programs with Manitoba Pork, says the popularity of bacon has been driven in part by the attention it's been getting on shows on food networks, its role culinary competitions and the unique flavors of bacon that we're seeing now, whether it's the smoking process or with different seasonings.
Susan Riese-Manitoba Pork:
I think bacon has always been popular.
We're just seeing it incorporated into a lot of different dishes.
You really can't fake that salty smoky flavor, the crunch, the aroma when it's sizzling in the pan.
I think there's others that have tried to imitate bacon but it's one of those things you just can't replicate.
It is what it is.
It's still a very popular breakfast food.
That goes without saying but it's easily a value added item on things like burgers and poutine and other dishes that are becoming popular.
You can wrap things in bacon, you can top things with bacon.
The options are pretty endless.
It's quite versatile.
It's just one of those things that people just love and can't seem to get enough of.
It's even being incorporated into sweet treats now, deserts and all kinds of different things.
It's such as versatile item.
It adds salty to sweet, which is a popular favor combination and I think it's always going to be popular.
Activities planned to observe Bacon Month include Bacon Night at the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball game August 17, the Winnipeg BBQ and Blues Festival August 19 and 20 and a bacon party at the Pony Corral August 31.
Source: Farmscape