It seems these days that you can find almost any ingredient online or at your local markets. When I came across these jars of lard and tallow I couldn't resist. While I have been known to render my own fats, cooking for three doesn't give many opportunities to do so. I've been wanting to play around with a percentage of lard in my pie crust, just to see if it really does make a difference, and if so, whether or not I actually like it. I have yet to be swayed from a 100% butter crust, although I'm open to trying new things. I also prefer to cook meat in it's own fat so I'm sure the lard will come in handy for pork chops and other assorted porcine goodness. The same goes for the tallow. It's a luxury to have it on hand for my steaks. I'm sure both fats will have a delicious effect on sauteed vegetables, possibly even fruits, and any number of preparations I haven't considered yet. I like to pick up new ingredients because sometimes just having them in my pantry makes me more creative in the kitchen.
Years Past
May 13, 2009
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