On 2012-09-01 17:26:44 +0000, dsi1 said:

> On 9/1/2012 7:04 AM, gtr wrote:
>> On 2012-08-31, dsi1 > wrote:
>>
>>> Why would that be? Do most Indians, even the poor ones, own cows? My
>>> guess is that even if you did own a cow, vegetable oil would be cheaper
>>> and easier to get.
>>
>> Probably so, but I think part of it may be how long it will keep without
>> a consistently operative form of refridgeration and with sometimes
>> significantly hot weather. I don't know, but am assuming such things
>> reconcile distinctions we think of purely as cost.
>>
>
> Ghee's ability to keep was probably important before there was
> refrigeration - probably not so important these days.

I think it's still a fair share of India that continues to live without
*consistent* power. Got no stats for that, but that's my assumption.

> OTOH, maybe a lot of the poor folks don't have refrigeration. Beats me.
> OTOH, I can't imagine that ghee has much of an advantage over plain old
> vegetable oil.

Tough to say. I assume that at one time alternatives were rejected
because of very good reasons. Now legacy and habit may well be the
remaining rational.