Domspeak Forums Active Threads This Week

Canadian bacon (the lean, round slices of cured pork loin common in the United States) originated from Canadian cured back bacon that was exported to the U.S. and Britain in the 19th century.
Key details

In the United States, “Canadian bacon” refers to lean, cured (often smoked) pork from the loin, sliced into medallions. It is much leaner than American-style streaky (side) bacon.
In Canada, this product is simply called back bacon. Canadians do not typically use the term “Canadian bacon.”
A closely related but distinct Canadian specialty is peameal bacon: wet-cured, unsmoked boneless pork loin that is rolled in cornmeal (originally ground yellow peas, or “peameal”). This version is especially associated with Ontario and Toronto.

The English muffin has roots in traditional British baking but was developed into its modern form in the United States by an English immigrant.
British origins
Flat, yeast-leavened griddle breads known as muffins have existed in England for centuries.

Recipes appear in British cookbooks as early as Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery (1747).
In the 18th and 19th centuries, “muffin men” sold them warm door-to-door in cities like London.
These were related to (but distinct from) crumpets. Traditional British muffins were soft, yeast-raised, and cooked on a griddle.

American development and popularization
The version most people know today—round, fork-split, with the signature “nooks and crannies,” designed for toasting—was commercialized by Samuel Bath Thomas.

Thomas emigrated from Plymouth, England, to New York City around 1874–1875.
In 1880, he opened a bakery at 163 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan.
Using a recipe inspired by English muffins (sometimes initially called “toaster crumpets”), he baked them on a griddle. This produced a denser texture with internal holes that made them ideal for toasting and holding butter or toppings.
He sold them to hotels, restaurants, and stores. The product quickly gained popularity as a breakfast item.
The name “English muffin” helped distinguish it from the sweeter, cake-like American muffins baked in tins.

Thomas’s company (later Thomas’) became the leading brand and is still widely sold today (now owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA).