TORONTO’S Bacon Trail
IT’S STARTING TO GET DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER that Toronto was once famous for something other than a crack-smoking mayor.
Over 150 years ago, Toronto had a reputation for producing the best pork in the world. That’s right — Toronto isn’t nicknamed ‘Hogtown’ for nothing. Back in the 1800s, Brits salivated over Canadian bacon and ate it by the millions of pounds. Where Starbucks and condos now dominate, pigs once roamed in their pens and were slaughtered at an abattoir on Front Street East. Such a boar-ish scene today would have yuppies dialing 311 and their real estate agents.
But most locals and visitors are pig ignorant of Toronto’s contribution to the pork industry. It’s only been recently that ‘Hogtown history’ has started to be celebrated. Last May, Toronto Urban Adventures launched a bacon-themed guided tour called When Pigs Fry — a food tour that offers more than eating. On this guided three-hour walk along ‘the bacon trail,’ you can learn about the history of the pork industry in Toronto while tasting some of the best bacon dishes in the city.
The bacon trail starts outside the St Lawrence Market, the oldest part of Toronto. It was in the 1850s when William Davies set up a stall in the Market, selling cured hams and bacon. But when he started exporting Canadian bacon to England, his business boomed.
“I think you will say that the quality of the meat I send is as good as you ever saw,” Davies wrote to his brother in England.
The Brits gobbled up the cured Canadian meat, eventually leading Toronto to be dubbed ‘Hogtown.’
Davies’ stall is long gone from the Market, but you can still find some of the best pork products inside. Wander in search of meat that beams lobster red — the bright colour is often a sign that the pork is of the highest quality. And animal lovers can rejoice: butchers in the Market often sell organic, sustainable, and certifiably humane meat. At a much higher price, of course.
Following the bacon trail wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Paddington’s Pump Restaurant — a shabby little diner tucked into a corner of the Market. But don’t be judgy at first glance — this greasy spoon has been voted one of the top breakfast spots in Toronto. Take a moment to smell the peameal and to sample what’s considered the Market’s signature snack — an ‘Oink on a Kaiser.’ As you bite into the briny meat on toasted buttery bread, thank Mr Davies. The practice of rolling cured bacon in dried and ground yellow peas originates from his company. Here’s a little secret from the Pigs Fry tour: the bacon is now rolled in ground yellow cornmeal instead of peas.
For a blast from the past, walk a few blocks east to Front and Frederick Streets. The original brick building of the William Davies Company still stands at 145 Front Street East. Needing more space for his flourishing business, Davies rented this facility as a processing plant and to house hogs outside in pens. Now surrounded by chic condos, it’s hard to imagine that the largest pork packer in the British Empire once thrived here.
If you take the Pigs Fry guided tour, the bacon trail continues from Old Toronto to trendy King West for some restaurant hopping. Over the last few decades, Toronto has
been a hot spot for immigration — inspiring some chefs to get creative in the kitchen and fuse Canadian bacon with traditional ethnic dishes. Sitting on a barstool at Lou Dawg’s Southern Barbeque, dig into a Cajun spin on a Canadian classic: fresh-cut Yukon fries topped with pulled pork, cheese curds and gravy. The shredded meat is so tender that it dissolves almost instantly on the tongue, and mingles with the gravy’s sweet and smoky flavour.
A few steps down the street, you’ll be transported back in time at WVRST — a modern German beer hall with communal tables and post-war industrial flair. With the blood red wall tiles and industrial hanging bulbs, it feels like a subway station with a liquor license and a whole lot of sausage. The waitress brings over trays of currywurst — sliced sausage in tomato curry sauce served with a side of country bread. The pork sausage is local, but the recipe originates from a popular street food in Germany. Volkswagen even hired its own sausage-maker for its employees and sells over 3 million orders of currywurst per year at the factory.
For visitors to Toronto, you can certainly walk the bacon trail yourself in the Old Town neighbourhood. But if you want to learn more about Toronto’s rich history, take the When Pigs Fry walking tour. It’s three hours of oinkin’ fun that includes pig jokes and tasty treats in the price. Plus, you’ll feel like proud ‘Hogtowner’ at the end.