Benton's bacon

[Jenise]

Never had it. Just placed an order. Am looking forward to this!

[Robin Garr]

It's from Western Kentucky, right? I believe the now deceased publisher of the Louisville Courier-Journal and Times, Barry Bingham Jr., used to have an ownership stake.

[Jenise]

Robin...maybe? All I know is it's in Tennessee now. I was encouraged into this purchase by two things that happened in the same week: I watched David Chang's foodie travel show, wherein he visited Benton's, and I had the most amazing bacon I've had in decades in a BLT purchased at Portland's Airport last week. I've also given Benton's consideration every time Dale goes to a particular annual party.

Here's what shows up in the internet:

Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams is currently owned and operated by Allan Benton, with his son Darrell Benton also .

The company was founded in 1947 by Albert H. Hicks, a local dairy farmer who began curing and selling country hams from a small block building. In1973, Allan Benton and his father, B.D. Benton, took over the business, rebranding it as Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams and moving it to its present location in Madisonville, Tennessee

Allan Benton has been the primary owner and operator for decades, refining traditional dry‑curing methods for hams and bacon into a nationally recognized culinary art. In recent years, his son Darrell Benton left a career in medicine to join the family business, assisting in production and helping maintain the company’s reputation for high‑quality, hickory‑smoked meats

Benton's is great. Chang devotes a 2 page spread in the Momofuko cookbook, and NYT has done features.
But I admit the primary reason for my Benton's order is the country ham. Traditional, or if you get the thin sliced version use like proscuitto.
The bacon is great, but be prepared that it's very salty.

[Jenise]

Ruh roh on the salt. Didn't know! I got a mixed selection so I'll get a little of everything.

[Robin Garr]

Robin...maybe? All I know is it's in Tennessee now.

I guess I'm thinking of something else. Mr. Bingham died in the 1980s, so it's been a while. <googling>

Ah, it was Broadbent. My mind obviously got hooked on the "bent" syllable.

Broadbent B & B Foods (originally founded as Broadbent and Bingham Foods) is the Kentucky country ham and bacon company that was partly owned by Barry Bingham Sr.. Bingham, the prominent publisher of The Courier-Journal, partnered with the Broadbent family to specialize in producing traditional Trigg County country hams, bacon, and sausage.