Chapter 10
Lessons in Lard
Understanding the crucial role of lard and other fats in pioneer cooking, from frying to baking, and its impact on flavor.
The journal lay open, its pages brittle and yellowed, whispering tales of a life I could only imagine. Grandma Clara’s familiar script, usually so steady and sure, seemed to tremble on the page as she described the importance of lard. Not just any lard, mind you, but the rendered fat from hogs, the kind that was a precious commodity, carefully saved and used with a reverence that spoke volumes. I’d always thought of lard as something old-fashioned, a relic of a less health-conscious era. But here, in these meticulously recorded recipes, it was the very foundation of their sustenance, the secret ingredient that transformed simple ingredients into hearty meals.
“Lard,” I murmured, tracing the word with my fingertip. “It’s everywhere.”
Eunice, perched on a stool in my kitchen, stirring a cup of tea, nodded. “Of course it is, honey. What else were they going to fry things in? Butter was a luxury, and oil? Forget about it. Hog fat was king.”
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