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The Bacon Cookbook
by James Villas
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN 0-470-04282-3
Published October 2007 - Hardcover - 276 pages - $35.00

Who doesn't like bacon?  Honestly.  I was salivating just looking at the cover of this book.  Yummy slices of bacon sizzling in a pan.  Just the thought of all that fat though!  But it doesn't have to be.  You don't have to have bacon every day, and neither does it have to be the main course.  As you'll find out in this book, bacon is versatile (the pig probably being the most versatile source of meat there is) and can be used in numerous ways.  Also, these recipes are from around the world so you're not limited to American bacon cooking only.  Food writer and author James Villas takes us on a fabulous bacon trip, and covers Canapés and Appetizers; Breakfast and Brunch Dishes; Soups and Chowders; Salads and Sandwiches; Casseroles and Stews; Main Courses; Vegetables and Fruits; Pasta and Rice; Breads, and Desserts.  I found these recipes rather tempting: Guacamole and Bacon Canapés (I adore the avo/bacon combo); Bacon, Goat Cheese, and Vidalia Onion Pie; Danish Potato, Tomato, and Bacon Omelette (oh, yum); German Fennel and Bacon Soup; Southern Shrimp and Pea Salad with Cracklings; Canadian Bacon, Sweet Potato, and Apple Casserole; Chicken, Onions, and Bacon Braised in Zinfandel (scrummy), and get this: Bacon and Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles.  I loved how Villas describes the allure of bacon.  He says, "...a gustatory seduction...".  Whether you love smoky, salty, or cured bacon, it's all in this book.  Do read Villas' "The International World of Bacon" which is followed by Buying, Storing, Cooking with Bacon, and more.  Oh, and who doesn't love a good old BLT?  Check out all the online sources for a huge variety of bacon.
Illustrated.  No nutritional guides.
Conclusion - I give this book two stars, mainly because it's superb, and because nearly all of the recipes are worth trying - unusual because so many cookbooks feature too many "out there" dishes.  Get this book!