Re: Organic Shortening / UK-US terms

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Can I ask what " shortening " is? Here it's pretty much anything I think

that you put into pastry to shorten it, ie, any fats, particularly hard fats

eg. lard. It sounds like something specific in the US from the way you've

been using it - I take it it's a kind of " fake lard " ?

We have something called " Trex " which sounds similar, and is quite popular

though I've never used it. Why do you choose to use this instead of

natural fats (I take it shortening has been processed). Is it to remove

the taste from lard? Do you recommend it in certain dishes?

Thanks,

Helen

PS Here are some UK --> US terms I got from the net when I was looking for

shortening. There is a whole book published on translating between US and

UK cooking, amazingly.

spring onions - scallions

sorbet - sherbet

chicken salad sandwich - a sandwich with chicken and salad ingredients in

(???)

grill - boiler (this can't be right! Surely they mean " broiler " ?

jug - pitcher

[Guest guest]

Helen,

All shortening found in U.S. supermarkets is trans fat laden, hydrogenated

vegetable oils. Crisco was the original 50 years ago about. All lards have

added preservatives. All I've seen are called lard but made from beef not

pork so are actually tallow. Spectrum shortening is available at health food

stores as a trans fat free but still vegetable sourced shortening. The only

way to get real lard or tallow in the U.S. other than small private farmers

that make their own is to buy it from a butcher, get it with your meat order

and make it yourself.

> We have something called " Trex " which sounds similar, and is quite popular

> though I've never used it. Why do you choose to use this instead of

> natural fats (I take it shortening has been processed). Is it to remove

> the taste from lard? Do you recommend it in certain dishes?

Wanita