There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.

As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

In article
>,
Cindy Fuller > wrote:

> There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
> relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
> monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
> unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
> usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.
>
> As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.

*grin* I love lard. I just don't tell the fat phobic people that
I've used it. It has lower cholesterol than butter and people don't
mind butter.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
Ranee Mueller > wrote:

> In article
> >,
> Cindy Fuller > wrote:
>
> > There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> > NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> > eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> > lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
> > relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
> > monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
> > unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
> > usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.
> >
> > As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.
>
> *grin* I love lard. I just don't tell the fat phobic people that
> I've used it. It has lower cholesterol than butter and people don't
> mind butter.
>
The best flour tortillas are made with lard. There used to be a Tex-Mex
joint near the medical school where I worked in Dallas that had
wonderful flour tortillas.

I was teaching assistant for a food science lab in grad school. I
titled the pie crust lab "salute to Crisco" because it was rigged to
show that hydrogenated shortening was best. The first semester I taught
the class one group used lard. The second semester lard was gone. (The
prof decided to eliminate it.)

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

Cindy Fuller wrote:

> There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
> relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
> monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
> unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
> usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.
>
> As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.
>
> Cindy
>
Years ago, Kay Hartman wrote of her expereinces making lard for her
homemade tamles. There was quite an extensive thread about the benefits
of lard, I recall? And of course for certain things it tastes better too.
If anyuone is inclined, I'm sure Dejanews would still have the posts.
Goomba

Cindy Fuller wrote:
> There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> lard as a substitute.

You must mean "eliminating 'hydrogenated' shortening". Lard IS
shortening... in fact all fats are shortening.

Sheldon

Cindy Fuller wrote:

> There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
> relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
> monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
> unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
> usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.
>
> As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.
>
> Cindy
>
Yup. I have been looking for unadulterated lard. I wouldn't
cook with it much, but a) I am curious and a lot of old
recipes call for it; and b) I don't believe in using that
man-made stuff.

--
Jean B.

Goomba38 wrote:
>>
> Years ago, Kay Hartman wrote of her expereinces making lard for her
> homemade tamles. There was quite an extensive thread about the benefits
> of lard, I recall? And of course for certain things it tastes better too.
> If anyuone is inclined, I'm sure Dejanews would still have the posts.
> Goomba

OOOOh. More googling coming up. I've found some old prose on
this, but Kay's findings will probably be more relevant.

--
Jean B.

Jean B. wrote:
> Cindy Fuller wrote:
>
> > There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> > NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> > eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> > lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
> > relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
> > monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
> > unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
> > usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.
> >
> > As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.
> >
> > Cindy
> >
> Yup. I have been looking for unadulterated lard. I wouldn't
> cook with it much, but a) I am curious and a lot of old
> recipes call for it; and b) I don't believe in using that
> man-made stuff.

Unprocessed lard is easy to find, ask your butcher... but you wouldn't
want unprocessed/unadulterated lard. it contains bits of flesh, veins,
nerves, blood clots, and it STINKS!

Believe it or not commercial lard is man made... lard is available in
many grades, the more pure the grade the more tinkering is entailed....
refined lard is NOT a natural product. Most lard sold at the
stupidmarket is hydrogenated, so you're back to square one. And you
really don't want to render and clarify your own lard... talk about a
stinking mess.

lard
n=2E RENDERED and CLARIFIED pork fat, the quality of which depends on
the area the fat came from and the method of rendering. The very best
is leaf lard, which comes from the fat around the animal's kidneys.
Unprocessed lard has quite a strong flavor and a soft texture. Lard can
be processed in many ways including filtering, bleaching, hydrogenation
and emulsification. In general, processed lard is firmer (about the
consistency of VEGETABLE SHORTENING), has a milder, more nutlike flavor
and a longer shelf life. Lard is richer than many other fats and
therefore makes extremely tender, flaky biscuits and pastries. It's a
flavorful fat for frying and is widely used throughout South America
and many European countries. When substituting lard for butter in
baking, reduce the amount by 20 to 25 percent. All lard should be
tightly wrapped to prevent absorption of other flavors. It may be
stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on how it
has been processed. Always check the label for storage directions.

=A9 Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.=20


Sheldon

On 2005-08-13, Jean B. > wrote:
>
> OOOOh. More googling coming up. I've found some old prose on
> this, but Kay's findings will probably be more relevant.

More pro-lard stuff:

http://www.zarela.com/news/lard.html

nb

notbob wrote:

> On 2005-08-13, Jean B. > wrote:
>
>>OOOOh. More googling coming up. I've found some old prose on
>>this, but Kay's findings will probably be more relevant.
>
>
> More pro-lard stuff:
>
> http://www.zarela.com/news/lard.html
>
> nb
>
Thanks. I had an idea of where to look for decent lard and
went there today. For a moment, I thought I was in luck, but
the manteca turned out to be butter. :-( When it is a bit
cooler, I will start looking at some Mexican stores--or a
gourmet store in Boston.

--
Jean B.

Sheldon wrote:
>
> Unprocessed lard is easy to find, ask your butcher... but you wouldn't
> want unprocessed/unadulterated lard. it contains bits of flesh, veins,
> nerves, blood clots, and it STINKS!
>
> Believe it or not commercial lard is man made... lard is available in
> many grades, the more pure the grade the more tinkering is entailed....
> refined lard is NOT a natural product. Most lard sold at the
> stupidmarket is hydrogenated, so you're back to square one. And you
> really don't want to render and clarify your own lard... talk about a
> stinking mess.
>
> lard
> n. RENDERED and CLARIFIED pork fat, the quality of which depends on
> the area the fat came from and the method of rendering. The very best
> is leaf lard, which comes from the fat around the animal's kidneys.
> Unprocessed lard has quite a strong flavor and a soft texture. Lard can
> be processed in many ways including filtering, bleaching, hydrogenation
> and emulsification. In general, processed lard is firmer (about the
> consistency of VEGETABLE SHORTENING), has a milder, more nutlike flavor
> and a longer shelf life. Lard is richer than many other fats and
> therefore makes extremely tender, flaky biscuits and pastries. It's a
> flavorful fat for frying and is widely used throughout South America
> and many European countries. When substituting lard for butter in
> baking, reduce the amount by 20 to 25 percent. All lard should be
> tightly wrapped to prevent absorption of other flavors. It may be
> stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on how it
> has been processed. Always check the label for storage directions.
>
> © Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
> LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
>
>
> Sheldon
>
I'll take your word for this. I have run across some mention
of rendering lard in old cookbooks, but I will talk to some
butchers first--and check out some of the ethnic stores. I
also wonder whether one might have more luck around holiday
season? Funny that when lard was readily available, I never
wanted to avail myself of it, and now that most stores don't
have it at all, I do....
--
Jean B.

Jean B. wrote:


>>
> I'll take your word for this. I have run across some mention of
> rendering lard in old cookbooks, but I will talk to some butchers
> first--and check out some of the ethnic stores. I also wonder whether
> one might have more luck around holiday season? Funny that when lard
> was readily available, I never wanted to avail myself of it, and now
> that most stores don't have it at all, I do....

Here is from Kay Hartman's post years ago.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...42d d41bec705

Jean B. wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > Unprocessed lard is easy to find, ask your butcher... but you wouldn't
> > want unprocessed/unadulterated lard. it contains bits of flesh, veins,
> > nerves, blood clots, and it STINKS!
> >
> > Believe it or not commercial lard is man made... lard is available in
> > many grades, the more pure the grade the more tinkering is entailed....
> > refined lard is NOT a natural product. Most lard sold at the
> > stupidmarket is hydrogenated, so you're back to square one. And you
> > really don't want to render and clarify your own lard... talk about a
> > stinking mess.
> >
> > lard
> > n. RENDERED and CLARIFIED pork fat, the quality of which depends on
> > the area the fat came from and the method of rendering. The very best
> > is leaf lard, which comes from the fat around the animal's kidneys.
> > Unprocessed lard has quite a strong flavor and a soft texture. Lard can
> > be processed in many ways including filtering, bleaching, hydrogenation
> > and emulsification. In general, processed lard is firmer (about the
> > consistency of VEGETABLE SHORTENING), has a milder, more nutlike flavor
> > and a longer shelf life. Lard is richer than many other fats and
> > therefore makes extremely tender, flaky biscuits and pastries. It's a
> > flavorful fat for frying and is widely used throughout South America
> > and many European countries. When substituting lard for butter in
> > baking, reduce the amount by 20 to 25 percent. All lard should be
> > tightly wrapped to prevent absorption of other flavors. It may be
> > stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on how it
> > has been processed. Always check the label for storage directions.
> >
> > =A9 Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
> > LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
> >
> >
> > Sheldon
> >
> I'll take your word for this. I have run across some mention
> of rendering lard in old cookbooks, but I will talk to some
> butchers first--and check out some of the ethnic stores. I
> also wonder whether one might have more luck around holiday
> season? Funny that when lard was readily available, I never
> wanted to avail myself of it, and now that most stores don't
> have it at all, I do....

Any Latino market will have it for sure, many grades of lard, each for
a different purpose (don't ask me but they know which is what), from 1
lb bricks to 5 gallon pails... of course the meat department sells
fresh leaf lard too, right next to the boars testicles, by the pickled
pig tails and trotters... yeah, they make a pretty good black soup with
pickled pig tails, chunks of fried chicken (fried in lard of course)
and whole hard boiled eggs, all blackened with recardo, looks just
awful, coal black with white eggs and chicken chunks floating... the
eggs look like TP, the chicken looks like you know what, don't even
wanna describe the tails, looks like a freshly opened cesspool but
tastes good... enough rum and cokes you don't see so good.

Hehe, I bet yoose thought I was making this up... beleive me when I
tell you, real Mexicans never eat that crap you find in a tex-mex
restaurant, they never even seen a taco.

http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/...molli_soup.htm

http://www.apinchof.com/findqanda.htm

http://www.thecmccompany.com/item.htm

Sheldon

In article >,
Cindy Fuller > wrote:
>There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
>NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
>eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
>lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
>relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
>monounsaturated fat for an animal product.

I think it has trans-fats however.

You don't need lard when palm oil is available (NOT palm kernel oil,
but palm oil). Spectrum Naturals makes organic vegetable shortening
from organic palm oil. It's available at Whole Foods Market. Palm
oil is naturally solid at room temperature without hydrogenation, it
has NO trans fats, no cholesterol, has 40% less saturated fat than
palm kernel oil, and it cooks and bakes just like real shortening.
On the other hand, it's nearly half saturated fats.

>The problem comes in finding unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable
>stuff sold in grocery stores is usually hydrogenated, defeating the
>purpose.

Yup. Unprocessed lard may (I don't know) have lower saturated fat
than palm oil, but if you want to avoid shortening and unprocessed
lard isn't available, then palm oil is the way to go. As I said,
it's not hydrogenated.

-A

Here's a somewhat tasteless ad:
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/media-pictures/i_lard.jpg

-A

"axlq" > wrote in message
...
> In article
> >,
> Cindy Fuller > wrote:
>>There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
>>NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
>>eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
>>lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
>>relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
>>monounsaturated fat for an animal product.
>
> I think it has trans-fats however.
>
> You don't need lard when palm oil is available (NOT palm kernel oil,
> but palm oil). Spectrum Naturals makes organic vegetable shortening
> from organic palm oil. It's available at Whole Foods Market. Palm
> oil is naturally solid at room temperature without hydrogenation, it
> has NO trans fats, no cholesterol, has 40% less saturated fat than
> palm kernel oil, and it cooks and bakes just like real shortening.
> On the other hand, it's nearly half saturated fats.
>
>>The problem comes in finding unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable
>>stuff sold in grocery stores is usually hydrogenated, defeating the
>>purpose.
>
> Yup. Unprocessed lard may (I don't know) have lower saturated fat
> than palm oil, but if you want to avoid shortening and unprocessed
> lard isn't available, then palm oil is the way to go. As I said,
> it's not hydrogenated.
>
> -A

I bought probably 18-months to 2 years ago the Spectrum you are speaking
about. I made several things with it; I can't recall now except I got
through about 1/2 of the big can of it; but when I made some cookies, the
rest of the can just had to go. Others might like it, but that is my
opinion. Also, it seemed to me when I was trying to get some of it out, it
was hard for me to measure, it kept breaking off in chucks, etc.
The palm oil seemed to impart a taste to the foods that always seemed
present, although it was not something that one could really describe, sort
of like rancid fat, but not exactly.
After that, I started using organic coconut oil and it is pretty tasteless,
which is what I want. Sometimes I use it in conjunction with butter. Yeah, I
know, that's a lot of fat! But I don't eat much of either. I usually use
EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) and combine it with butter, depending on what
I'm cooking.
Dee Dee

axlq wrote:
> In article >,
> Cindy Fuller > wrote:
>
>>There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
>>NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
>>eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
>>lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
>>relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
>>monounsaturated fat for an animal product.
>
>
> I think it has trans-fats however.

IIRC, trans-fats are only found in oils that are artificially hydrigenated.

<snip>


--

saerah

"It's not a gimmick, it's an incentive."- asterbark, afca

aware of the manifold possibilities of the future

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

sarah bennett wrote:

> axlq wrote:
> >
> > I think it has trans-fats however.
>
> IIRC, trans-fats are only found in oils that are artificially hydrigenated.

Yes, but some people are saying lard may be hydrogenated.
If so, it will be marked on the label. I believe I've seen
hydrogenated beef fat, which is almost the same thing,
so I would not be surprised if lard is sometimes hydrogenated
especially for use as a processed food ingredient.
It may seem like hydrogenating an already near-saturated
fat makes no sense, but in the world of extended shelf
life it makes lots of sen$e.

I would be surprised if lard sold for home use was
hydrogenated. If the label just says "lard", not
"partially hydrogenated lard" or "hydrogenated lard"
then you can be sure it has _not_ been hydrogenated.

However, most lard I've ever seen had added mono-
and di-glycerides to improve baking qualities. In some
people, they may encourage the growth of putrefactive
bacteria in the lower colon, weaken the blood-brain
barrier for penetration by the Lyme disease parasite,
and dissolve your mercury amalgam tooth fillings.
Or something like that. Hope this helps! :-)

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
> sarah bennett wrote:
>
>> axlq wrote:
>> >
>> > I think it has trans-fats however.
>>
>> IIRC, trans-fats are only found in oils that are artificially
>> hydrigenated.
>
> Yes, but some people are saying lard may be hydrogenated.
> If so, it will be marked on the label. I believe I've seen
> hydrogenated beef fat, which is almost the same thing,
> so I would not be surprised if lard is sometimes hydrogenated
> especially for use as a processed food ingredient.
> It may seem like hydrogenating an already near-saturated
> fat makes no sense, but in the world of extended shelf
> life it makes lots of sen$e.
>
> I would be surprised if lard sold for home use was
> hydrogenated. If the label just says "lard", not
> "partially hydrogenated lard" or "hydrogenated lard"
> then you can be sure it has _not_ been hydrogenated.
>
> However, most lard I've ever seen had added mono-
> and di-glycerides to improve baking qualities. In some
> people, they may encourage the growth of putrefactive
> bacteria in the lower colon, weaken the blood-brain
> barrier for penetration by the Lyme disease parasite,
> and dissolve your mercury amalgam tooth fillings.
> Or something like that. Hope this helps! :-)
>
Thank you for this discussion. I appreciate it.
Dee Dee

Mark Thorson wrote:

> I would be surprised if lard sold for home use was
> hydrogenated. If the label just says "lard", not
> "partially hydrogenated lard" or "hydrogenated lard"
> then you can be sure it has _not_ been hydrogenated.
>


Look closely at the label of a box of Armour lard and be surprised. IT
says "LARD" on the front label, and in tiny print on the back it has the
ingredient list which contains (IIRC) lard, partially hydrogenated lard,
and BHT.

I have several pounds of beef fat in the freezer, saved from when I cook
briskets. I saved it for making soap, but I think I might try some in a
pie crust and see how it does.

Best regards,
Bob

Than can we include bacon grease in this thread? Best pop corn on the
planet!!!

Marc


"axlq" > wrote in message
...
>
> Here's a somewhat tasteless ad:
> http://www.boreme.com/boreme/media-pictures/i_lard.jpg
>
> -A

"Bubbabob" > wrote in message
. 3.30...
> (axlq) wrote:
>
>>
>> You don't need lard when palm oil is available (NOT palm kernel oil,
>> but palm oil). Spectrum Naturals makes organic vegetable shortening
>> from organic palm oil. It's available at Whole Foods Market. Palm
>> oil is naturally solid at room temperature without hydrogenation, it
>> has NO trans fats, no cholesterol, has 40% less saturated fat than
>> palm kernel oil, and it cooks and bakes just like real shortening.
>> On the other hand, it's nearly half saturated fats.
>>
>
> Palm Oil also has a profoundly strong flavor and aroma that tends to
> overwhelm other ingredients. It's a necessity for African and Brazilian
> cooking but it's out of place in most other cuisines.

I hadn't thought of the strong flavor because of the nature of palm oil.
But I do use palm sugar occasionally and it is quite strong. Strong
connection. I missed it. Thanks for your information.
Dee Dee

zxcvbob wrote:

> Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> > I would be surprised if lard sold for home use was
> > hydrogenated. If the label just says "lard", not
> > "partially hydrogenated lard" or "hydrogenated lard"
> > then you can be sure it has _not_ been hydrogenated.
>
> Look closely at the label of a box of Armour lard and be surprised. IT
> says "LARD" on the front label, and in tiny print on the back it has the
> ingredient list which contains (IIRC) lard, partially hydrogenated lard,
> and BHT.

I always look at the ingredients list, and that was what I was
referring to. Of course, lots of people don't look at that part.
There are regulations (in the U.S., anyway) on that part,
and you cannot use hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated
fats without declaring them there.

That said, I've noticed a lot of foods, in particular imported
from Asia, that are obviously not in compliance with U.S. law.
I've seen products that were obviously colored with something
that did not list any color in their ingredients. I once bought
a can alleged to contain scallops (with a big picture of a scallop
on the label) which contained cut-up shapes made from squid.
I've also seen products that listed "vegetable oil" or "vegetable
shortening" that I'm deeply skeptical did not contain
hydrogenated fats.

The Asian food industries are a cesspool. If you check out
the FDA's OASIS detentions (seizures of food imports),
you'll see lots of examples. They use food additives in
places like Viet Nam and mainland China that were banned
in the U.S. over 50 years ago.

zxcvbob wrote:
>
> Look closely at the label of a box of Armour lard and be surprised. IT
> says "LARD" on the front label, and in tiny print on the back it has the
> ingredient list which contains (IIRC) lard, partially hydrogenated lard,
> and BHT.
>
> I have several pounds of beef fat in the freezer, saved from when I cook
> briskets. I saved it for making soap, but I think I might try some in a
> pie crust and see how it does.
>
> Best regards,
> Bob
>
Yeah, that is why I don't buy Armour lard--which is the only
kind I can find. Actually today I was at an Asian store that
had carried the Armour stuff, and there was none.

--
Jean B.

Sheldon wrote:

> Jean B. wrote:
>
>>Sheldon wrote:
>>
>>>Unprocessed lard is easy to find, ask your butcher... but you wouldn't
>>>want unprocessed/unadulterated lard. it contains bits of flesh, veins,
>>>nerves, blood clots, and it STINKS!
>>>
>>>Believe it or not commercial lard is man made... lard is available in
>>>many grades, the more pure the grade the more tinkering is entailed....
>>>refined lard is NOT a natural product. Most lard sold at the
>>>stupidmarket is hydrogenated, so you're back to square one. And you
>>>really don't want to render and clarify your own lard... talk about a
>>>stinking mess.
>>>
>>>lard
>>>n. RENDERED and CLARIFIED pork fat, the quality of which depends on
>>>the area the fat came from and the method of rendering. The very best
>>>is leaf lard, which comes from the fat around the animal's kidneys.
>>>Unprocessed lard has quite a strong flavor and a soft texture. Lard can
>>>be processed in many ways including filtering, bleaching, hydrogenation
>>>and emulsification. In general, processed lard is firmer (about the
>>>consistency of VEGETABLE SHORTENING), has a milder, more nutlike flavor
>>>and a longer shelf life. Lard is richer than many other fats and
>>>therefore makes extremely tender, flaky biscuits and pastries. It's a
>>>flavorful fat for frying and is widely used throughout South America
>>>and many European countries. When substituting lard for butter in
>>>baking, reduce the amount by 20 to 25 percent. All lard should be
>>>tightly wrapped to prevent absorption of other flavors. It may be
>>>stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on how it
>>>has been processed. Always check the label for storage directions.
>>>
>>>© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
>>>LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
>>>
>>>
>>>Sheldon
>>>
>>
>>I'll take your word for this. I have run across some mention
>>of rendering lard in old cookbooks, but I will talk to some
>>butchers first--and check out some of the ethnic stores. I
>>also wonder whether one might have more luck around holiday
>>season? Funny that when lard was readily available, I never
>>wanted to avail myself of it, and now that most stores don't
>>have it at all, I do....
>
>
> Any Latino market will have it for sure, many grades of lard, each for
> a different purpose (don't ask me but they know which is what), from 1
> lb bricks to 5 gallon pails... of course the meat department sells
> fresh leaf lard too, right next to the boars testicles, by the pickled
> pig tails and trotters... yeah, they make a pretty good black soup with
> pickled pig tails, chunks of fried chicken (fried in lard of course)
> and whole hard boiled eggs, all blackened with recardo, looks just
> awful, coal black with white eggs and chicken chunks floating... the
> eggs look like TP, the chicken looks like you know what, don't even
> wanna describe the tails, looks like a freshly opened cesspool but
> tastes good... enough rum and cokes you don't see so good.
>
> Hehe, I bet yoose thought I was making this up... beleive me when I
> tell you, real Mexicans never eat that crap you find in a tex-mex
> restaurant, they never even seen a taco.
>
> http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/...molli_soup.htm
>
> http://www.apinchof.com/findqanda.htm
>
> http://www.thecmccompany.com/item.htm
>
> Sheldon
>
Oh, I believe you. I have several Mexican cookbooks (not me
forte though) and have searched for decent Mexican restaurant
(to no avail). Thanks for those links. And you are right re
the Latino markets. I just have to find a
candidate--preferably with good parking....

--
Jean B.

Marc wrote:

> Than can we include bacon grease in this thread? Best pop corn on the
> planet!!!
>
> Marc
>

I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that. It sounds like a
potentially dangerous idea.

--
Jean B., who has some nice Niman Ranch Bacon fat in the fridge

> That said, I've noticed a lot of foods, in particular imported
> from Asia, that are obviously not in compliance with U.S. law.
> I've seen products that were obviously colored with something
> that did not list any color in their ingredients. I once bought
> a can alleged to contain scallops (with a big picture of a scallop
> on the label) which contained cut-up shapes made from squid.
> I've also seen products that listed "vegetable oil" or "vegetable
> shortening" that I'm deeply skeptical did not contain
> hydrogenated fats.
>
> The Asian food industries are a cesspool. If you check out
> the FDA's OASIS detentions (seizures of food imports),
> you'll see lots of examples. They use food additives in
> places like Viet Nam and mainland China that were banned
> in the U.S. over 50 years ago.

Right on the money. Many of the labels on Asian imports are absolutely
false -- I remember buying a pack of hard candy and the content listed
sugar=0 and calorie=0, but right there on the list of ingredients was
"sugar". Must be some sort of "new" sugar that isn't sugar and has no
calorie.

The reality is that there is no active monitoring of imported food
products for accuracy/truth in its labelling. The FDA operates like any
other government agencies -- it only reacts when a certain number of
people dies and only if it gets on the news and stays news-worth for a
long period of time.

wrote:
>>That said, I've noticed a lot of foods, in particular imported
>>from Asia, that are obviously not in compliance with U.S. law.
>>I've seen products that were obviously colored with something
>>that did not list any color in their ingredients. I once bought
>>a can alleged to contain scallops (with a big picture of a scallop
>>on the label) which contained cut-up shapes made from squid.
>>I've also seen products that listed "vegetable oil" or "vegetable
>>shortening" that I'm deeply skeptical did not contain
>>hydrogenated fats.
>>
>>The Asian food industries are a cesspool. If you check out
>>the FDA's OASIS detentions (seizures of food imports),
>>you'll see lots of examples. They use food additives in
>>places like Viet Nam and mainland China that were banned
>>in the U.S. over 50 years ago.
>
>
> Right on the money. Many of the labels on Asian imports are absolutely
> false -- I remember buying a pack of hard candy and the content listed
> sugar=0 and calorie=0, but right there on the list of ingredients was
> "sugar". Must be some sort of "new" sugar that isn't sugar and has no
> calorie.
>
> The reality is that there is no active monitoring of imported food
> products for accuracy/truth in its labelling. The FDA operates like any
> other government agencies -- it only reacts when a certain number of
> people dies and only if it gets on the news and stays news-worth for a
> long period of time.
>


Or if someone tries to import something sweetened with stevia. They
jump all over that; gotta protect the artificial nonnutritive sweetener
industry.

Best regards,
Bob

wrote:
>
> Right on the money. Many of the labels on Asian imports are absolutely
> false -- I remember buying a pack of hard candy and the content listed
> sugar=0 and calorie=0, but right there on the list of ingredients was
> "sugar". Must be some sort of "new" sugar that isn't sugar and has no
> calorie.

That would be sucralose

> The reality is that there is no active monitoring of imported food
> products for accuracy/truth in its labelling. The FDA operates like any
> other government agencies -- it only reacts when a certain number of
> people dies and only if it gets on the news and stays news-worth for a
> long period of time.

A big problem is lack of funding for inspectors/inspections and the
magnitude of the task.

In article
>,
Cindy Fuller > wrote:

> I was teaching assistant for a food science lab in grad school. I
> titled the pie crust lab "salute to Crisco" because it was rigged to
> show that hydrogenated shortening was best. The first semester I taught
> the class one group used lard. The second semester lard was gone. (The
> prof decided to eliminate it.)

Would you pass on the recipe? Thank you!

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
Ranee Mueller > wrote:

> In article
> >,
> Cindy Fuller > wrote:
>
> > I was teaching assistant for a food science lab in grad school. I
> > titled the pie crust lab "salute to Crisco" because it was rigged to
> > show that hydrogenated shortening was best. The first semester I taught
> > the class one group used lard. The second semester lard was gone. (The
> > prof decided to eliminate it.)
>
> Would you pass on the recipe? Thank you!
>
Alas, I don't have the recipe we used in the lab. However, I consulted
the cookbook collection and found one in Edna Lewis's "The Taste of
Country Cooking". Miss Lewis grew up in Virginia, so she knows from
lard. This should be enough for a double-crust pie, plus provide
trimmings to keep the frisky brood at bay. (My mother did that with us,
although she prefers the Betty Crocker oil and milk crust.)

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted flour
1 cup chilled, home-rendered sweet lard (her term)
1 scant teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water

Measure 3 cups flour into mixing bowl; add lard and salt. Blend with
pastry blender. When well blended (she doesn't give any specs, but
probably when the mixture's the size of small peas), add cold water and
mix together by hand. Shape dough into a ball; sprinkle with 2
tablespoons flour to make it easier to handle.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

In article
>,
Cindy Fuller > wrote:

> Alas, I don't have the recipe we used in the lab. However, I consulted
> the cookbook collection and found one in Edna Lewis's "The Taste of
> Country Cooking". Miss Lewis grew up in Virginia, so she knows from
> lard. This should be enough for a double-crust pie, plus provide
> trimmings to keep the frisky brood at bay. (My mother did that with us,
> although she prefers the Betty Crocker oil and milk crust.)

Thank you for the recipe, I will try it out!

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

Cindy Fuller wrote:
> There's an op-ed piece in today's NY Times by Corby Kummer. Since the
> NYC Health Commissioner has sent letters to restaurants recommending
> eliminating shortening as a cooking/baking fat, Kummer's recommending
> lard as a substitute. This is not without scientific merit. Lard has a
> relatively low percentage of saturated fat and high percentage of
> monounsaturated fat for an animal product. The problem comes in finding
> unprocessed lard. The shelf-stable stuff sold in grocery stores is
> usually hydrogenated, defeating the purpose.
>
> As Ranee says, nothing says loving like pork products.
>
> Cindy

One should be able to find unprocessed lard at a meat locker facility -
you know, a place that processes hunters' deer and local farmers'
livestock.

N.