How has bacon overcome centuries of religious prohibition, cultural contempt and dietary advice to become a 21st century culinary and cultural powerhouse? Mark A. Johnson tackles that exact question in “American Bacon,” his forthcoming book.
Starting in early modern Britain, Johnson traces the history of bacon through the colonial era, Civil War, progressive era, fad diets and more. Johnson argues the story is not just one of production, marketing and consumption, but a cultural history tied to race, class and gender. To Johnson, the story highlights and connects to the cultural values of a nation.