/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Food & Drink

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto’s enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff

By Matthew Hague
Copy link
A brief history of bacon


A brief history of bacon

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
1875 Canadian bacon is born when British émigré William Davies starts selling salt-cured pork loin peameal at a stall in the St. Lawrence Market.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
1898 “Hogtown,” once a pejorative used by Hamiltonians to describe Toronto’s greedy-as-pigs inhabitants, is proudly embraced by the city as the William Davies Company becomes the largest pork processor in the British Empire.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
1973 Nearly a century later, Carousel Bakery, in the St. Lawrence ­Market, sells its signature stack of peameal on a white bun.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
1985 Thanks to spandex-clad, fat-phobic celebrities like Jane Fonda, bacon becomes the culinary equivalent of lead paint.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2008 The economy tanks, prompting Toronto chefs to forgo frills like caviar for cheap comforts (i.e., bacon). The modern phase of creative bacon consumption begins.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2009 Sweet Treats CNE food stand debuts chocolate-covered bacon.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2009 Two colossal trends collide when Park­dale’s Yummy Stuff bakes its first chocolate-oatmeal cupcake with maple-bacon frosting. For the Love of Cake bakery soon follows with maple-bacon mancakes.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2011 A survey reveals that 43 per cent of Canadians prefer bacon to sex. J&D’s Foods asks, “Why choose?” and introduces bacon-flavoured lube, possibly the least scrumptious use of bacon ever.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2011 Rosedale gourmet grocer All the Best Fine Foods debuts $20 jars of bacon jam. President’s Choice follows with $5 bacon marmalade.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2012 Toronto’s first Baconfest is held in Leslieville. It includes bacon waffles and, this being Leslieville, bacon tofu. Rashers, also in Leslieville, claims to be North America’s first ­­all-bacon sandwich shop.

A brief history of bacon: charting Toronto's enduring fascination with the glorious, salty stuff
2013 The Only Cafe on the Danforth sells a bacon-flavoured beer called Aporkalypse Now Oatmeal Bacon Stout from HogsBack Brewing Company.

Photographs: William Davies Shop and Davies Pen of Hogs from Wikimedia 1 Commons; Peameal sandwich by Carlo Mendoza; Caviar from iStock; Bacon by Karon Liu; Cupcakes courtesy of Yummy Stuff and For the Love of Cake; Lube courtesy of J&D’s Foods; Bacon Jam and Marmalade by Carlo Mendoza; Rashers storefront by Igor Yu; Beer courtesy of Hogsback Brewing Company

THIS CITY

Obsessive coverage of Toronto, straight to your inbox

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Inside the rise and fall of the Vaulter Bandit, the 21st century’s most notorious bank robber
Deep Dives

Inside the rise and fall of the Vaulter Bandit, the 21st century’s most notorious bank robber

Inside the Latest Issue

The June issue of Toronto Life features our annual ranking of the best new restaurants. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.