Calf's liver and bacon facts for kids

Calf's liver and bacon is a classic dish that combines tender calf liver with crispy bacon. It was a very popular meal in old cookbooks from the 1800s and early 1900s. This dish is known for being simple yet tasty.

A Look at the History of Calf's Liver and Bacon

This dish has a long and interesting history. Some food experts, like Xavier Raskin in 1922, thought it first came from France. However, recipes for calf's liver and bacon also appeared in American cookbooks as early as 1857. It was even found in Scottish cookbooks by 1862. This shows how quickly the dish spread across different countries.

For a long time, liver was not very expensive in the United States. Many Americans were not keen on eating it. But over time, people started trying new foods and became more open to different tastes. Also, scientists discovered that liver is full of iron, which is very good for your health. These two things made liver much more popular, and its price went up.

Even though it was a simple and affordable meal, calf's liver and bacon was featured in many important cookbooks. For example, it appeared in the 1898 Practical Cookery Manual of Plain and Middle Class Recipes. It was also in The White House Cookbook, written by Hugo Ziemann, who was a chef at the White House. This shows that the dish was enjoyed by everyone, from everyday families to important people.

Some restaurants even became famous for their calf's liver and bacon. In 1925, a restaurant called the Homestead Room in St. Petersburg, Florida, advertised their amazing calf's liver and bacon. In 2004, the American Good Housekeeping cookbook called it a "classic" dish. Its classic status is also clear because it's in famous cookbooks like Isabella Beeton's Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management and Christian Isobel Johnstone's The Cook and Housewife's Manual.

How to Prepare Calf's Liver and Bacon

Making calf's liver and bacon is quite simple. First, thin slices of bacon are fried until they are crispy. Then, slices of calf liver are often lightly coated in flour. These floured liver slices are then cooked in the same pan, using the fat left over from the bacon. This adds a lot of flavor.

Once the bacon and liver are cooked, they are placed on a serving dish. A delicious gravy is then made in the same pan using the leftover bits and juices, called the fond. Some recipes suggest quickly boiling the liver first before frying it.

It's important to serve this dish right away. The liver tastes best when it's hot and tender. While it's often eaten for dinner or supper, some people also enjoy calf's liver and bacon for breakfast. For example, the Sherwood Hotel in Florida served it for breakfast in 1903.