love thursday: bringing home the bacon

You know that saying about bringing home the bacon*?

Well, in Calabria that often happens quite literally.

Here is my amore holding the leg of a certain swine, parts of which were later marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, and then grilled. Yum!

Who could ask for more in a man?

Happy Love Thursday everyone!

Note that Love Thursday is now back at its original Chookooloonks home. Yay!

P.S. The history of this phrase from About.com Guide to Home Cooking: “In the twelfth century, a church in the English town of Dunmow promised a side of bacon to any married man who could swear before the congregation and God that he had not quarreled with his wife for a year and a day. A husband who could bring home the bacon was held in high esteem by the community for his forebearance.”

28 Beans of Wisdom to “love thursday: bringing home the bacon”
  1. Are you going to fry it up in a pan? (wait, you might be too young remember that commercial) ha

    Happy Love Thursday.

    nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..American Apparel is coming to Rome.

    I *do* remember it! Only it was the woman supposed to bringing home the bacon too, right? I mean, not that I don’t *figuratively* but this kind of bacon–not unless it’s in a neatly wrapped package 😉

  2. 11.13.2008

    Hey, how can I get mine to do that?

    (Haha, nyc/caribbean ragazza! I remember that commercial!)

    KC’s last blog post..Complimenti

    I think they have to be born that way….

  3. 11.13.2008

    sounds like a yummy dinner for you guys! i so wish i was more motivated to cook.

    p.s. so, P is not camera-shy anymore? 🙂

    odessa’s last blog post..ginger chicken noodle soup and sondre lerche

    As you can tell, he wasn’t looking at me for this photo. I’m very sly (and he never looks at the blog) 😉

  4. Gil
    11.13.2008

    Is leg from a full size swine? It looks small. What you did to it sounds as if the finished product will be good eating!

    Nah, this wasn’t very big; still lots of meat though. And yes, it was delicious 🙂

  5. 11.13.2008

    Finally! Something I can eat on your blog! LOL! 😉

    Yes, but the vegetarians and vegans will have to wait just a *bit* longer 😉

  6. maryann
    11.13.2008

    Very caveman-ish! haha

    maryann’s last blog post..Dining With Johnny Depp

    At least he doesn’t do the whole dragging-by-the-hair thing 😉

  7. joanne at frutto della passione
    11.13.2008

    Love the story of how the phrase was born!!

    joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..Eurochocolate revisited

    Interesting, huh?! I love stuff like that 🙂

  8. 11.13.2008

    I too was going to compliment you on getting P’s photo again!

    Cool story on the origin of bringing home the bacon. That ad . . .it was for perfume, wasn’t it??

    Seems the answer to your question is below 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!

  9. 11.13.2008

    Happy Love Thursday!

    Interesting story on bringing home the bacon, and that dinner sounds wonderful!

    busymomma66’s last blog post..Puppy Love

    Was delicious indeed, BusyMomma; thanks for coming by!

  10. That is so not what I thought Paolo was holding when I fist saw that pic.

    Did you guys really make bacon? Logan (oh, crap, sorry – “Mister Pants”) has the whole recipe over at Boots.

    Loved the “bringing home the bacon” story, too. Extra points to anyone who can remember what that was a commercial for…

    paul of the clue-by-four’s last blog post..WTF Wednesday: Gay racism, it’s the new black

    Nah, we don’t do bacon. As it was, this one was split among a few people, so we got a few pasta dinners and a grilling night out of it. I’ve seen that bacon tutorial though, and YUM.

  11. 11.13.2008

    Makes me think of that *Enjoli* perfume commercial years ago. I can just see you singing….

    I can bring home the bacon….
    Fry it up in a pan….
    And never, never let you forget your a man….
    Cause I a woooooman, Enjoli!!!

    Happy Love Thrusday!! And just be thankful you were not *here* to witness me singing this today.

    My Mélange’s last blog post..Travel Photo Friday : Greece is the Word

    In any event, I thank you for that lovely rendition, Robin 🙂

  12. 11.13.2008

    Oh, just read through the other comments and the one previous to mine giving something away to whomever knew the commercial!

    Did I just win???? Really???!!!

    God, I hope the prize isn’t a pig leg 😉

    My vegetarian BF wouldn’t know WHAT to do with it!

    My Mélange’s last blog post..Travel Photo Friday : Greece is the Word

    I doubt Paul will be delivering a pig leg, but he is full of surprises, so….

  13. Was it wild swine? Did he (P) go out into the woods and hunt?

    I bet it was delicious (sorry no vegetarians here). We are big into roasting chestnuts here at the moment they would make a great side dish maybe with some cavolo nero and some roast potatoes, a big glass and vino rosso and … I’m coming round to your house for supper tonight!

    amanda@A Tuscan View…’s last blog post..meme – the movie

    ‘Twas wild, but P doesn’t hunt. Master cleaner, though 😉

  14. 11.13.2008

    I just read the story and if that would mean we would never have bacon in my house!!! But we do have a package of Canadian Bacon in the freezer, maybe I’ll make bacon, tomato and cheese sandwiches for dinner…hmmmm……Happy Love Thursday

    lucy’s last blog post..Something Fun!

    Oh that sound *wonderful* Lucy. I’m jealous.

  15. 11.13.2008

    if he really loves you, maybe he could make it look a little more like bacon, you can have an espresso while you wait.

    Margie, so long as he does all the butchering (and he always does), I’m happy 🙂

  16. sabineM
    11.13.2008

    That sounds just delicious!

    Indeed it was, Sabine 🙂

  17. 11.13.2008

    Love the photo! And whatever you’re going to make with it sounds yummy (olive oil, pork, rosemary — how can you go wrong??)

    bonggamom’s last blog post..Second looks, second chances

    I don’t believe you can with those ingredients, Bonggamom 🙂

  18. 11.13.2008

    Mmm…bacon.

    Happy LT 🙂

    Jessi’s last blog post..Photo Contest – Please vote!!

    I’m with you Jessi. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  19. 11.13.2008

    Cool picture! Happy LT!

    Julia’s last blog post..Love Thursday

    Thanks, and thanks for stopping by Julia 🙂

  20. 11.13.2008

    Aww – a perfect man in so many ways! Happy Love Thursday!

    Same to you, Shalet 🙂

  21. 11.13.2008

    See, that’s the kind of picture men should put in their want ads. Pork fat rules!! You two are going to have beautiful children!

    Piccola’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday

    Hah, and thank you 🙂

  22. 11.14.2008

    I think I would swoon if my husband brought home the swine like that!

    Mrs. L’s last blog post..Small Plates – November 12, 2008

    Hah, I hope you’ll get the chance Mrs. L 🙂

  23. 11.14.2008

    Seriously? That’s where that phrase came from? I had no idea!

    I didn’t either, so when I found it, I knew I *had* to share 🙂

  24. 11.14.2008

    I don’t think that pig feels very loved just now…

    Well, no, and I won’t get into a debate about eating meat, but I can tell you that in these economic times, free food is very much appreciated in my house.

  25. Clem
    11.14.2008

    mmmmmm, bacon.

    I’m with you, Clem 🙂

  26. 11.14.2008

    When I lived in Spain we used to eat it smoked…called jamon (even though it was pretty much bacon as far as I could tell)

    On a side note, I saw a post on Uncrate the other day about baconaise…bacon flavored mayonnaise and am very intrigued…I might have to up my saturated fat intake and order some up 😀

    Jeremy’s last blog post..The Art of Shopping Etiquette

    Wow, now *that* is interesting, Jeremy. Please let me know if you try it; would love to hear a review!

  27. 11.15.2008

    Oh — heh — I was so not going there, I swear. (I eat meat, too, you know; it just comes in shiny, hygienic, little packages.) I was startled by something in this image, though, not your usual Love Thursday fare. Makes me wonder about the book you’ve been writing. 🙂

    Just love for P this week as far as I know, but now you have *me* wonder what I’ve been writing….

  28. 11.18.2008

    Wow… I love the background of that phrase. My DH never would earn that – we BOTH love to argue too much. 😉

    We have a gourmet deli/food place/phenomenon in our city called Zingerman’s. They have these things where you run around to all their businesses and learn about a specific food. D and C are both bacon fanatics, so they took the “tour de bacon” last summer and earned t-shirts.

    The Zingerman’s site is fun to explore:

    http://www.zingermans.com

    jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Wow! And thank yous…

    Ooh thanks Jen! Fun indeed 🙂

Michelle KaminskyMichelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived. 

Calabria Guidebook

Calabria travel guide by Michelle Fabio

Recipes

 

Homemade apple butter
Green beans, potatoes, and pancetta
Glazed Apple Oatmeal Cinnamon Muffins
Pasta with snails alla calabrese
Onion, Oregano, and Thyme Focaccia
Oatmeal Banana Craisin Muffins
Prosciutto wrapped watermelon with bel paese cheese
Fried eggs with red onion and cheese
Calabrian sausage and fava beans
Ricotta Pound Cake