Pork
A Global History
Katharine M. RogersPork is the most widely eaten meat in the world. It formed the high point of Roman feasts and was the mainstay of the traditional working-class diet in Europe and North America for centuries. This title tells how pork, the favourite meat of rich Romans, was disparaged in later centuries as useful meat for the middle and lower classes.
Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world. It formed the high point of Roman feasts and was the mainstay of the traditional working-class diet in Europe and North America for centuries. Today it remains popular in Western countries, while for the Chinese, ‘meat’ means pork unless otherwise specified. Almost every part of a pig is edible, and pork is the most versatile of meats – ranging from the rich, delicate succulence of a roast loin to the dry, salty assertiveness of ham and bacon.
Pork: A Global History tells how pork, the favourite meat of rich Romans, was disparaged in later centuries as a useful meat for the middle and lower classes. European settlers brought pork to the Americas and barrel pork, kept submerged in a barrel of brine, became a staple of working-class people in the USA. Pork has always been prized by all classes in China. Beautifully illustrated and filled with recipes from around the world, Pork will be a necessary addition to the bookshelf of any lover of bacon, sausage or pork chops.
Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world. It formed the high point of Roman feasts and was the mainstay of the traditional working-class diet in Europe and North America for centuries. This title tells how pork, the favourite meat of rich Romans, was disparaged in later centuries as useful meat for the middle and lower classes.
Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world. It formed the high point of Roman feasts and was the mainstay of the traditional working-class diet in Europe and North America for centuries. Today it remains popular in Western countries, while for the Chinese, ‘meat’ means pork unless otherwise specified. Almost every part of a pig is edible, and pork is the most versatile of meats – ranging from the rich, delicate succulence of a roast loin to the dry, salty assertiveness of ham and bacon.
Pork: A Global History tells how pork, the favourite meat of rich Romans, was disparaged in later centuries as a useful meat for the middle and lower classes. European settlers brought pork to the Americas and barrel pork, kept submerged in a barrel of brine, became a staple of working-class people in the USA. Pork has always been prized by all classes in China. Beautifully illustrated and filled with recipes from around the world, Pork will be a necessary addition to the bookshelf of any lover of bacon, sausage or pork chops.
1. The Ideal Meat Producer
2. Prejudices Against the Pig
3. Pork in Europe
4. Pork in the New World
5. Pork in the Far East
6. Today's Mass-produced Pork
Recipes
References
Select Bibliography
Websites and Associations
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
Katharine M. Rogers (1932-2021) was a freelance writer living in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. She was the author and editor of numerous books and anthologies including Cat (Reaktion, 2006) and Pork: A Global History (Reaktion, 2012).
