British bacon

British bacon (The best of british bacon by Alison Fulton)

On a recent trip to Penkridge, in the United Kingdom, I had a chance to sample that English classic, a full breakfast of which bacon plays an important part. While I knew there was a difference between American and English bacon, I had to do some research to find out what it was. According to myrecipes.com, the cut of meat used for British bacon is actually the same cut as a pork tenderloin or loin roast, just sliced and cured differently. American bacon is streaked with fat because it's from the pork belly, one of the more heavily marbled parts of the pig.

The "small" English breakfast courtesy of the Bridgehouse Hotel, Penkridge, Staffs. (I skipped the baked beans and black pudding!)

Penkridge is a market town in Staffordshire, England, see right, which since the 17th century has been an industrial and commercial center for neighboring villages and the agricultural produce of Cannock Chase.

Map by Nilfanion

Link to image source

The wealthiest establishment in Penkridge in the Middle Ages, its collegiate church building survived the abolition of the chantries. It's the tallest structure in the town center (see its tower peeping out behind the farm shop in the photo).

More information on Penkridge

Penkridge Viaduct and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal are to either side of Market Street and the Old Market Square and they're among its landmarks. This photo is of the Canal which usually has at least a couple of narrow boats on it.

Plus a couple of ever hopeful ducks

There are quite a lot of attractions within reach of Penkridge, from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Staffordshire tourism

Penkridge has quintessential English cottages ...

And those British institutions, the red post box and of course, pubs; The Boat, center, not surprisingly perhaps, is next to the canal. The Star, right, is on the Market Place.

There is a reknowned bakery, Jasper's; an Olde Sweet Shoppe (aka Candy shop) and if you over indulge at either establishment, they can always put you in the stocks, as they're still there, see right. Just kidding about the putting you in them part. Really.

And on the high street, also known as Market Street, there is also a butchers. And not just any old(e) butchers.

Russell Butchers

Russell Butchers, celebrating 40 years, raises its own pigs for its pork and bacon products said butcher Ray Quarry, right. It has a fairly mouth-watering display of pork products.

On the more mainstream British bacon front, on a visit to a nearby Asda supermarket, the bacon, gammon and pork display seemed pretty comprehensive too, if less specialized.

Here's a short video of the bacon, gammon and pork display at Asda.

According to statista.com, between the years 2008 to 2012, Brits between the ages of 19 and 64 consumed 15 grams of bacon daily. That's an average of 0.53 oz. every day or approximately 12 lb. yearly. I think it's safe to say a lot of British people love their bacon.

And that concludes this brief tour of Penkridge and British Bacon. For more bacon fun, visit the link below and search for Bacon!

PorkBusiness.com

Appreciate

Credits:

All photos by Alison Fulton unless noted otherwise.

British bacon (The best of british bacon by Alison Fulton)

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