Notes from Catherine Rowett, former Green Party MEP for East of England and deputy coordinator of the Eastern Region Green Party*(UK). Biographical reflections on life as an MEP. Longer reflections and discussions on issues relating to policy, the good life, justice, equality, anti-austerity economics and the future of the planet. This is also a forum for exchanging ideas on how to tread lightly on the planet and avoid supporting exploitation and corrupt practices. Here we go...

Saturday 19 January 2008

The hunt for the best bacon in Cambridge

In the old days the best place to buy bacon was the old grocer's shop on Prospect Row. What was his name? Mr Cook? Anyway, he used to serve excellent firm dry bacon which he sliced for you on the spot, and also wonderful ham. That was, I think, the last real grocer's shop in Cambridge and it closed down about three or four years ago.
Now, the question is, where can you get bacon? Not the sort that boils in grey sludge, but real bacon that fries in the pan?
This post is to announce a competition. Please sample the bacon at your local butcher and any other outlets you know of, and let's have them graded out of 10. Ten stars for the best and one star for the worst.
Rumour has it that Duchy Originals bacon is good. I'm not sure if you can get it in Cambridge. But let's rate the local non-supermarket ones too. I bought some streaky bacon from Andrews, the butchers on Burleigh Street today. It looks a little tired but not too wet. I'll report back.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You fry it? I grill it, in the hopes that that's at least slightly better for one.

The bacon I grilled yesterday (M&S) had too little water in it and ended up dry before it was cooked through, which is a turn up for the books. It was still delicious served with capricious scrambled eggs, roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, though.

I'm not sure I'm up for sampling things that might end up as one-star, by the way. If you're willing to try Tesco Value bacon, good luck to you...

Catherine Rowett said...

I fry it, or char grill it. I guess that makes a lot of difference to whether you want it all soggy with water.
Radmore farm shop bacon is 3 star. Too wet. You try to fry onions and bacon to make a casserole and you end up boiling your onions, and making flour and water paste when you want a roux...

Anonymous said...

I disagree with the comment about Radmore Farm Shop bacon. I frequntly buy it as well as all of their meats. The quality is outstanding. The bacon is dry cured bacon....has no water! check your onions!!!

Catherine Rowett said...

Well I was only reporting what happened when I tried to use the bacon. I don't have anything against it: I've got no reason to invent negative things about it. It seems to me that bacon that's wrapped in plastic packets is always too wet, regardless of how "dry "the cure is. I guess the piggy meat is too wet to start with. Bacon used to be hard and dry when it was cut for you off the block. Now it's always limp and damp, and contracts to half its size when you cook it.