Rendered pork fat used for cooking, baking, and food preservation. Creates exceptionally flaky pastries and is prized for its neutral flavor and long shelf life.
From Old French 'lard,' ultimately from Latin 'lardum' (bacon fat). The word originally referred specifically to the fat of swine and has maintained this meaning for over a thousand years.
Lard was the primary cooking fat in America until the 1950s when vegetable shortening marketing convinced people it was unhealthy - but lard actually contains less saturated fat than butter! It's making a comeback among bakers who prize its ability to create the flakiest pie crusts.
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