At a glance, Chinese pork strips look like bacon. Upon close examination they still look like bacon, albeit in long strips having an inch-square cross section. One difference is that they are very well cured, so well preserved that Asian markets may have a box of the strips left at room temperature like so much kindling. The flavor is distinct, with sweet spices along with allure of redundant pork fat. What more could a person want?

An Hangtown fry is an egg scramble made with bacon and oysters. The origins date to the days of the California gold rush circa 1850. Placerville, California, in the heart of the gold country was then known as Hangtown, thanks to a local judge with a summary concept of justice. The Hangtown fry originated when a gold miner struck it rich and asked a Hangtown eatery to prepare something with the most expensive ingredients at hand. That turned out to be eggs, oysters, and bacon. Those are fine ingredients, so why not try it out?