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How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#111

Post by grecy »

Pfhreak wrote: post #106
grecy wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even easier - only buy and cook/eat things from the supermarket that have one ingredient.

Really? It'd be hard to give up miso, or fish sauce, or chocolate. Or beer. Or gochujang. Cheese. Baking powder. Mustard... I could make some of these things myself, but that's a pretty tall order.

Sure, it's hard to give up McDonalds and coke too, but I wasn't talking about what you want to eat, I was talking about what you should eat.

If you want to avoid overly-processed food (like TFA), then do you best to stick to things that have one ingredient.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#112

Post by YeGoblynQueenne »

DiabloD3 wrote: post #97
trianglem wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt that. Pretty much all of Northern European preserved meats are terrible for you.

Except they kind of aren't. Northern Europeans used the same techniques that many other cultures used across the globe: remove as much water content as possible, use herbs that have certain bacteria-inhibiting properties that also taste good, apply liberal salt. Everything is some evolution of this. You may wish to provide an example as to what you mean, because I suspect whatever you are referring to is more modern…

Salt is definitely bad for your if you have high blood pressure (can dig up refs if required) and high blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Btween 35% and 40% of people have high blood pressure. For them, the consumption of "liberally salted" products is something to be avoided.

Statistics from WHO:

https://www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/blood_pressure_prev...

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#113

Post by munk-a »

tptacek wrote: post #90
munk-a wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's a spectrum of realness rather than real or not real - I also really dislike the title of this article as it connotes stuff that isn't literally conveyed. Industrially produced food is what nearly all of us eat, our sausages, our kale, our milk... all produced on an industrial scale. That said, I think I value food that has fewer steps in preparation as being "more real" so I'd prefer something like a mea…

You're worried about industrially produced kale ? Or is your point that everything is industrially produced because it has to be?

Sorry to clarify - I'm not worried about industrially produced kale - but the kale you buy in the supermarket is industrially produced.

I think the title is terrible for choosing that specific word - I'd much prefer a title like "How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Artificial Food". And in actuality it's more of an issue of the government not preventing wholly unhealthy food from finding the wide markets they have.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#114

Post by hnick »

open-source-ux wrote: post #2

If you want to find out much more about the history of Crisco and its modern-day incarnation, here is an excellent and informative 10 min video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4IH8-io6Dw As far as I can tell Crisco, while popular in the US, doesn't appear to be widespread or common outside the US.

I was about to dig this link up so thanks for sharing. I enjoy his videos a lot since he's very thorough with the research. And his pan pizza was amazing when I made it.

We have other shortenings outside the US, such as Copha (coconut based) in Australia though it's rarely used these days. Crisco is available but not widely, and from what I can tell mostly used by people following American recipes and purchased from specialty importers.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#115

Post by yellowapple »

grecy wrote: post #101
somurzakov wrote: post #71

quick rule of thumb I developed - if product has long shelf life and does not require refrigeration - it is probably unhealthy. fruits and veggies get optimized for heavier weight per piece and longer shelf life, instead of taste. Same thing for every other grocery product.

Even easier - only buy and cook/eat things from the supermarket that have one ingredient.

...like Crisco, apparently.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#116

Post by yellowapple »

kop316 wrote: post #19
serbrech wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why do you need such shortenings, can't you use the original version of all the shortening... butter? I have never seen "shortenings" in france. pastries is done with butter and that's all.

Depends on the recipe I want to use. Tortillas call for lard, and I don't think butter would be a good substitute on that. (Actually, I think the only reason I have lard/shortening is to make flour tortillas) But you are correct, I would prefer to use butter when I can! EDIT: My parents are also vegan, and I like to cook with them. So I also use it then.

I've used butter to make flour tortillas before. Works pretty well.

I've also used Crisco, on that note. Works not-quite-as-well, but still better than expected.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#117

Post by kop316 »

dragontamer wrote: post #95
kop316 wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be honest, I didn't know there was a difference. I was more looking for a substitute for shortening, which I think clarified butter can do? Or just ghee?

All fats can substitute for each other depending on recipe. It will taste different but it's really fun to replace fats with other fats. Ex, bacon grease works in more recipes than you'd expect. Just memorize their smoke points, the point where a fat begins to burn. Shortening has a very high smoke point, but that is only relevant if you expect the temperature to go above 400F, such as the mallard reaction (aka the t…

I have a lot of bacon grease, but I have only used it in cornbread. I'll have to see where I can substitute it (per my earlier comment, bacon fat flour tortillas now sound very good).

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#118

Post by kop316 »

lonelappde wrote: post #105
kop316 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends on the recipe I want to use. Tortillas call for lard, and I don't think butter would be a good substitute on that. (Actually, I think the only reason I have lard/shortening is to make flour tortillas) But you are correct, I would prefer to use butter when I can! EDIT: My parents are also vegan, and I like to cook with them. So I also use it then.

Tortillas call for lard because pigs (lard and not well milkable) are native to the Americas but cows (butter and tallow) aren't.

True. I may have to try out the tortillas with other fats to try it.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#119

Post by tptacek »

munk-a wrote: post #113
tptacek wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're worried about industrially produced kale ? Or is your point that everything is industrially produced because it has to be?

Sorry to clarify - I'm not worried about industrially produced kale - but the kale you buy in the supermarket is industrially produced. I think the title is terrible for choosing that specific word - I'd much prefer a title like "How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Artificial Food". And in actuality it's more of an issue of the government not preventing wholly unhealthy food from finding the wide markets they have…

That makes sense! Sorry, I'm in a nitpicky state today.

Re: How Crisco Made Americans Believers in Industrial Food

#120

Post by dragontamer »

ericd wrote: post #98
dragontamer wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All fats can substitute for each other depending on recipe. It will taste different but it's really fun to replace fats with other fats. Ex, bacon grease works in more recipes than you'd expect. Just memorize their smoke points, the point where a fat begins to burn. Shortening has a very high smoke point, but that is only relevant if you expect the temperature to go above 400F, such as the mallard reaction (aka the t…

Really interesting, thanks for the brain dump! What do you look for to know when your pan is preheated enough to eg sear meat well if you don't wait for a little smoke?

I do actually wait for a little smoke. It's a very consistent measurement of pan temperature.

If I choose a 450F smoke point fat, like canola oil, I know that the pan is 450F when it starts to smoke.

I got the reaction wrong earlier, mallard is 300F or so. Caramelization is 400F

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