Add one more item to your list of Jersey "must do's." Also known by its generic name "pork roll," Taylor ham is a New Jersey "natural resource" celebrated across the Garden State at diners and breakfast tables. Invented by New Jersey businessman John Taylor in the 1950s, this offbeat meat's texture can be described as a cross between good old-fashioned bacon and Canadian bacon. Upon the first bite, you're hit with a salty sensation followed by a sour finish. When fried in the skillet, this circular ham curls up and resembles a flying saucer. Those in the know will cut slits on the side to help it maintain its flat shape. Founded by John Taylor himself, Taylor Provisions in Trenton packages its slices of pork roll in this kitschy 1960s box. Bold type and the charming logo of a sausage with slices falling like dominoes make Taylor's pork roll jut out among its breakfast competitors at the grocery store. The nostalgic photos on the back remind us of images found on the pages of 1960s cookbooks. We're sure there's a cookbook devoted to Taylor ham recipes lurking around somewhere.
-Dani
