Crisco, sometimes

A new look at the classic vegetable shortening

By Culinate staff

April 13, 2011

Once upon a time, Crisco was the go-to ingredient for flaky, tender pie crust. Then, when trans fats were revealed to be vile, it was shunned. Now, in its almost-no-trans-fats incarnation, Crisco has been cautiously re-embraced by bakers.

As Rebekah Denn reports in the Seattle Times, Crisco is beloved for its melting point (higher than butter), its neutral flavor, even as a medium for frying chicken. Just don’t make it a regular feature of your day.