Incidentally, tons of dishes were first invented as a way to preserve other foods, but are now enjoyed for their own merits as delicacies. Besides bacon (and all the other delicious salt-cured meats like ham, pastrami, sausages, jerky, and corned beef), you have preservation to thank for raisins (dried grapes), prunes (dried plums), jam, marmalade, sauerkraut, kimchi, smoked meats, pickles, cheese, beer, preserved fish like sardines and anchovies, and more.
