My resolution for 2005 is to stock Tenderflake lard before the law banning trans fats comes into effect. Since I dont bake pies very often, and Tenderflake keeps forever in the freezer, 20 packages should be enough for the rest of my life.
I dont remember the last time I ate a doughnut (I might have been 8 or 9). I can stay away from potato chips. I know many delicious substitutes for trans-fat crackers. But a pie crust without a touch of shortening? No thanks.
The great Julia Child was firm about this. “American all-purpose, hard-wheat flour produces a slightly brittle crust if only butter is used. However, a mixture of three parts butter and one part vegetable shortening will give a tender crust with a good buttery flavour,” she wrote in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
I thought that Tenderflake, which is pure lard and costs a little more than vegetable shortenings such as Crisco, would pass the test. Alas, I just checked the label: “Lard may be hydrogenated.”
Practically all parliamentarians blindly followed the NDP into this new crusade, as if the house was on fire and we were all about to die from an overdose of trans fats. But, hey, lets calm down. A pie for eight persons requires two tablespoons of shortening. This makes a quarter of a tablespoon a person — not enough, certainly, to end up in a cardiac ward!
The same, actually, could be said of any food, even of supposedly healthy food. Taken in excess, anything can be bad for your health, even milk, yogurt, lentils, fibre, tomatoes and olive oil. On Friday, this newspapers health page even warned us that drinking too much water could be terrible for our kidneys. A healthy diet is made up of a little bit of everything — including, yes, an occasional bowl of oily chips or a handful of fat-laden cookies. The only rule lies in a single word: moderation.
Why was Parliament in such a hurry to pass a motion calling for a full ban of processed trans fats from food sold in Canada within a year? Even though the food industry has started to move in this direction, it hasnt yet developed acceptable substitutes to ensure texture and shelf life of pre-packaged food (only people who dont cook and dont shop think these are unimportant considerations).
What is certain is that consumers will absorb the cost of the research. This may be why no other country except Denmark resorted to such a radical solution — not even France, which is at the forefront of the battle against genetically modified organisms and where people are highly sensitive about the quality of their food. The French have adopted the sensible solution of requiring clear labelling, so consumers know what they are buying. Are Canadians so dumb they couldnt learn to decipher labels and make an informed choice?
Another sensible solution would be to ban trans fats and other unhealthy food from school cafeterias and hospitals, which are public institutions. This is the path taken by the Quebec government, which has decided to reform the menus of school cafeterias while offering cooking classes to kids to help them stay away from fast food. (Teenagers dont like to cook, but children find it fun.)
In lifestyle matters, a great deal of progress can be achieved by public education and various incentives. This is how the war against tobacco has been so successful in a relatively short period.
And what about logic? In Canada, tobacco products are freely sold, even though they are noxious and a major cause of cancers. Alcohol is also freely sold, even though it can lead to countless diseases. And now Parliament intends to decriminalize the use of pot, which can be harmful to teenagers. The countrys leaders, meanwhile, are all worked up about Oreo cookies. This is more than illogical — its ridiculous!
Canadians know Tenderflake lard in an instant: It’s a square pound of snow-white lard in a bright yellow box in the local grocery store’s baking aisle. Moms and grandmas have been stockpiling this lard—rendered pig fat, the highest grade from near the loin and kidneys—in pantries for generations.
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FAQ
What are the ingredients of Tenderflake lard?
Is Tenderflake lard real?
Is Tenderflake lard hydrogenated?
Is Tenderflake a shortening?
Where does Tenderflake lard come from?
The hog fat used in the production of Tenderflake lard is obtained from the back and belly fat of pigs. The main components of Tenderflake lard are saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The product contains mostly saturated fats, which makes it a highly stable option for cooking and baking.
What is Tenderflake lard used for?
Compared to other cooking fats, Tenderflake lard is a popular choice among home cooks and professional chefs alike, due to its superior flavor and versatility in the kitchen. While vegetable oils and coconut oil are often used for frying and sautéing, lard is preferred for baking and making flaky pastries and pie crusts.
Is Tenderflake lard sweet?
Surprisingly, the Tenderflake lard was sweet when compared with the home rendered lards. Kevin Kossowan and I rendered our own lard and did a tasting with three crusts made with the Tenderflake Pie Pastry recipe: one with his rendered lard, one with mine, and one with the Tenderflake lard.
Where can I buy Tenderflake lard fat?
You can order leaf lard fat from any pork vendor at your local farmer’s market. Surprisingly, the Tenderflake lard was sweet when compared with the home rendered lards.