Google Search: what is salt pork reveals that fatback becomes salt pork when salt-cured and that salt pork is similar to American-style bacon, but unsmoked. Imputed is that American-style bacon is a bit more to the meat side than the straight-up salt pork.

Why, in the name of God, do I look this up?

My parents always make Hoppin’ John for New Years; I have adapted the tradition to make Cuban-style black beans para mi espoza every year.

As I was gettin’ the fixins (beans, rice, green pepper, bacon, salt, black pepper, garlic, onions if you’re in the mood) I wondered how close the substituted bacon is to the usually-called for salt pork; now I know. Pretty close.

Mmmm. I smells the garlic and sich. Gettin’ hungry.

At midnight we’ll eat the twelve grapes before trying to find a shot of downtown Vegas. Then we’ll stand on the steps of our apartment building with our neighbor Peter to watch the Needle explode.