shameless commercialism, reprise

[ewein2412]

"I reckon if there's anything you ought a know about cooking, it's this."
"That's just lard, ain't it?"
"No, it ain't just lard," I say. "It's the most important invention in the kitchen since jarred mayonnaise."
"What's so special about" - she wrinkles her nose at it - "pig fat?"
"Ain't pig, it's vegetable." Who in this world doesn't know what Crisco is? "You don't have a clue of all the things you can do with this here can."
She shrugs. "Fry?"
"Ain't just for frying. You ever get a sticky something stuck in your hair, like gum?" I jackhammer my finger on the Crisco can. "That's right, Crisco. Spread this on a baby's bottom, you won't even know what diaper rash is." I plop three scoops in the black skillet. "Shoot, I seen ladies rub it under they eyes and on they husband's scaly feet."
"Look how pretty it is," she says. "Like white cake frosting."
"Clean the goo from a price tag, take the squeak out a door hinge. Lights get cut off, stick a wick in it and burn it like a candle."
I turn on the flame and we watch it melt down in the pan. "And after all that, it'll still fry your chicken."

--Kathryn Stockett, The Help

...The secret ingredient to whoopie pie filling and all commercial cake frosting in the USA! I have to mail order mine. This passage must be an utter mystery to Waterstones and Tesco bookbuying readers. "Who in the world doesn't know what Crisco is?"

(I knew she was going to talk about Crisco from the first sentence. Although, to be honest, I did not use it in my own cooking till I began making whoopie pies.)

Comments

tanita chuckles:

[(Anonymous)]

I'd say that's a Southern thang, except aren't you from Massachusetts or something? We never used Crisco growing up, then I took cake decorating in about the seventh grade. My mother was horrified, but butter-flavored Crisco is how a lot of people make piped buttercream roses that last.

I can't be bothered with any of the above anymore; I'm a fondant person now, so all of my decorated cakes aren't piped but rolled and cut. I'm much better with sugary clay than piping anyway.

I've never yet had a Whoopie Pie. Knowing that there's Crisco in them is not encouraging me!! Oh, well, more for you.

[tiboribi.livejournal.com]

I wonder if she got paid for the product placement.

Also, I must be the only person alive who hasn't read this book. Should I?

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I grew up using lard (on the Mexican border) so it always amazes me when people haven't ever used it. But a lot of people our age neveer have touched the stuff because of Crisco...

Also, my mom decorated cakes for a few years....so I despise that kind of frosting! ::shudders::

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I remember my mom having huge cans of that stuff. Though as I recall she pretty much only used it for pie crusts.

[habiliments.livejournal.com]

I grew up in Oregon and never made pie crusts (though I do understand that Crisco is magic for them), but I'm almost certain I remember cookie and other baked-good recipes that called for "vegetable shortening," which meant Crisco. I should look in my very-old copy of The Joy of Cooking and see if I'm remembering this properly...

(But now I'm realizing, OH, that's what makes commercial cake frosting so bad! It doesn't taste like anything! Just sugared grease!)

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I use Crisco in piecrust and, oddly enough, in my chocolate chip cookie recipe. And for greasing baking pans.

I would never, ever use it in icing. Buttercream all the way. One stick of butter, one pound of confectioner's sugar, add milk until the consistency is right. Easy-peasy.