The Surgeon General has determined that reading the New York Times may be hazardous to your health and to the health of your nation.
Posted on 01/01/2007 4:50:46 PM PST by freespirited
A scant two days after New York City became the first U.S. city to ban trans-fats in restaurant cooking, chefs were scrambling to test alternatives. Well, at least one chef was to my knowledge.
Yesterday's New York Times had an article detailing Chef Michael S. Schwartz's test of using Crisco, coconut oil, canola oil, peanut oil, butter and lard in baking and frying. The experiment took place at the Institute of Culinary Education, where Schwartz is an instructor. The dishes tested were tarte Tatin, the venerable French apple tart; French fries and fried chicken. Crisco was the only ingredient with a trans-fat content that breaks the city's new rules. Just as Chef Schwartz predicted, Crisco produced a tart with the flakiest crust. Meanwhile, the tart baked with butter had a firmer crust that was judged inferior. The tarte Tatin made with coconut oil was deemed tasty, but its crust was lumpy and crumbly.
And what of those two dishes so dear to the heart of every fried food lover you ask? French fries made with coconut oil were tasty, but limp. As for those fried in the dreaded Crisco, they were, you guessed it, crispier. As for the fried chicken, all varieties tasted great, regardless of whether they used trans-fats. This result comes as a great relief to me and the legions of fans of Charles Gabriel the fried chicken genius of Harlem.
Yeah, it's still gonna be one death per person.
(Insert old story about the old fart that drank a bottle of gin, smoked five packs of cigartees and ate junk who lived to be 105 here.)
When Crisco is oulawed, only outlaws will use Crisco.
For all we know Crisco is worse for the health.
I'm still gonna use Crisco for my pie crusts...phooey on them all!
They ought to just start frying in Bacon Fat.
What's the over/under on number of years before trans fat is determined to be harmless?
I didn't know the 2006 statistics were already in....
/sarc
Will transfats go the way of the ALAR scare of 1989?
I can't get a decent crust with Crisco. Lard is the only thing I can make work. I've tried, and tried, and always go back to lard. My husband says the "secret" is letting it get cold. Nonsense!! I say, let it set for an hour before rolling. Of course, my little brother swears by butter. How do we decide?
Have you tried using Yogurt Cheese? http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/food/379
That idea is just nasty, and I am not clicking on your smutty link.
I have read that leaf lard is the absolute best for pastry crust. I've never tried it but just recently bought a pig and told the butcher "save the leaf lard". I'll be giving it a try soon.
I use butter when I want a sweeter, shortbread type crust.....I too prefer lard, but my trick with crisco is using ice water and not working the dough too much....have you tried that?
That's what I use. Just let it sit a bit after it is mixed before you roll it out. My brother likes the butter and the color and flakiness it gives. I guess it is what you get used to.
So, how did the tart turn out when he used Lard?
Way above me...
Puff pastry needs real butter, not lard. It has to be kneaded in ice water. It's hard on the old knuckles, but it is more toothy for a tart. You'll like butter for a tart.
I've read a few different methods for rendering the leaf lard, on top of the stove and in the oven. Which method do you recommend? Thanks.
They put an addictive chemical in it, that makes you crave it, FORTNIGHTLY!
i guess that's why it's your favorite? :)
Yep.
Your case is mild. i need fried chicken at least once a week. With generous helping of cole slaw.
isn't this discrinatory against the people who live in san francrisco?
Amazing YoChee Piecrust
More Desserts/Baked Goods Recipes Solutions
Adapted from Eat Well the YoChee Way, by Nikki and David Goldbeck.
This is an excellent all-purpose piecrust. Compare the fat – just 3.6 grams per 3-inch wedge, versus traditional crusts ranging from 5 to as much as 10.5 grams of fat per slice.
It is very flaky.
no mashies??? we need the mega
container for our side hogs.
'Bout the same amount of time it took to determine that the main benefit of eating bran is a healthy turd.
----------------------
On another note, substitute Crisco for butter in chocolate chip cookies--yuuuuuuuuuuu-um!
You know, I got chewed out by the Defense Science Board once, for telling them about gramma's cole slaw.
It was kind of funny - I was trying to explain, that my mother SQUEEZES the cabbage, after it is grated, because her mother did - and so on, for generations.
In other words, why? Nobody knows, it is just the way it is done.
They shut me up right quick.
Who the heck is the Defense Science Board? And it makes perfect sense to squeeze the cabbage. Anybody knows that.
The Surgeon General has determined that reading the New York Times may be hazardous to your health and to the health of your nation.
If you don't squeeze it, it's just not as good. More dopes on the defense science board. Should have listened to grandma and enlisted retention would be much higher.
I can survive without the mashed taters, but not the fried chicken and slaw.
Well, the silly pecksniffers hired me...um...proves your point.
oh i'm with you, love chicken and cole slaw.
pat's right homemade coleslaw following his
gramma's recipe is the best.
the kids have this need for taters though...
My prediction: It will have a positive impact. New York's smoking ban is already showing its effects, and by calling our 311 number, anyone can get a patch.
Me, I'll stick with lard!
They'll have to pry the Butter Flavored Crisco from my ice watered, cold, floured caked hands.
I followed the link but it looked like something from the Onion. You're kidding I hope about them being upset over the cabbage:~)
No, that is really it, and no, I wasn't kidding. LOL.
But didn't Pauncho and Crisco always battle the bad guys?
That's funny, my wife has been doing that for the past few years. They are good.
OK you two, cut it out. We all know that lard comes from pigs, not leaves.
Don't render it. Just straight.
I vote for lard! The crusts are flakey and tasty when baked, as they should be.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.