The other day, I blogged about lard, and a reader wisely commented that, despite lard's many virtues, people aren't going to fully embrace it until we come up with a better name for it.
And he's right. The name "lard" has got to go. I suggested "pork butter," but maybe together we can think of something even better.
So please post your suggestions in this forum thread. After a suitable amount of time, I'll pick the best one and submit it to the National Pork Board for approval. No doubt they'll ask me to sit on some dreary task force, or blue-ribbon panel, or "lard commission." But I think "pork butter" is worth it. Don't you?
And he's right. The name "lard" has got to go. I suggested "pork butter," but maybe together we can think of something even better.
So please post your suggestions in this forum thread. After a suitable amount of time, I'll pick the best one and submit it to the National Pork Board for approval. No doubt they'll ask me to sit on some dreary task force, or blue-ribbon panel, or "lard commission." But I think "pork butter" is worth it. Don't you?
Comments
Rendered pork fat rules! Ask any Eastern European.
Maybe it’d be as simple as using the Hungarian word for lard. Would you happen to know what that is?
We call it ‘Witte Reuzel’ in Dutch, if that helps.
Karin
Guide to Dutch Food
I say leave it as lard. Rendering “pork butter” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Karin: I like the sound of “Witte Reuzel.” Very elegant. And Kevin: Leaving the name unchanged does seem to miss the mark as far as changing the name is concerned; but at least they wouldn’t have to reprint all the packages and everything.
I’m loving “Yorkshire Ghee.”
I think it’s Schweinefett in German – I think you could call it Schweinefett, get some spiffy packaging and overcharge for it in some gourmet shop.
Witte Reuzel would work, too! Of course, then you could diversify – Dutch Witte Reuzel, German Schweinefett…
I’m not going to get this right, but I think I’d like the French version. It would be something like Le Cochon Buerre. Although Schweinefett is great. It actually sounds like swine fat. lol.
This is reminding me of how prunes must now be called dried plums.
Exactly right. “Prunes” and “lard” would both fare equally poorly in a focus group. The difference is that the back-to-basics approach of “dried plums” wouldn’t be as successful as “pork fat.” Just as “raisins” still polls better than “dried grapes.”
So maybe something like Larkle. It sounds care-free (as in, “just a lark”) while also suggesting “crackle,” which is definitely one of pork’s more favorable qualities.
Any suggestions for the vegetarians out there? Guess we will have to stick to olive oil. After so many years not eating animal products, I just can’t see doing stir fry in “pork butter”. I am glad to hear though that it is healthier than we thought though, as my father and brother are sworn carnivores and I cook for them. Thanks for the info. JJ
How about bacon oil?
jennibsmith: “bacon oil” is a good one!
jan: Canola oil is a very good choice for stir-frying because you it can get much hotter than olive oil before it starts to smoke.
You may call it ether ’sullo’ or ‘healthy fat’ because since ancient times it’s been known as the best fat used not only in food but also for treating many diseases!!! – What’s more, NOBODY ever accumulated high cholesterol because they used ’sullo’.
Polina, English-Russian Teacher Methodologist, Melbourne, Vic.
Sullo — I quite like that, thank you. That one is a very strong contender to be submitted to the National Pork Board.
Call it Schmalz!
i like Schmalz too. it’s a German word for lard and sounds much better than Schweinefett wich basically means pork fat. Schmalz comes from the word melt and describes the process of gettig to the finished lard quite well.
call it “render” it will catch on because of the root of the word.
having a restriced diet by my naturopathic doctor to no vegetable canola or soybean oil, I usually tell people I can have olive oil and “animal fat” it gets me positive looks instead of strange looks if I say “lard”