“No one in the pork business even dared mention bacon’s name. It was porcine non grata.” From slow sales, to the other white meat, to the top of the food chain, Businessweek’s David Sax tracks the rise of pork: The bacon boom was not an accident.

+ I know what you’re thinking. What does a Jewish vegetarian know about bacon? It’s a long story, but trust me, the oven is absolutely the only place to cook bacon. My friend Dan Benjamin provides the directions.

+ Ever wonder if the stuff sold at the farmers market is the same stuff that’s for sale at the store?

+ Maybe MSG isn’t actually bad for you after all.