Shortening...History of Crisco


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I have used Crisco for many years. It has fried many a chicken in our house and baked in many, many pie crusts. When I was decorating and selling cakes it got used in the frosting. To make a white, white frosting for wedding cakes that will hold up in over heated buildings or outside in the summer it can’t be beat. 
  In 1911 Crisco was the first shortening to be made entirely from vegetable oil. The Procter and Gamble company figured out how to hydrogenate the oil to a spreadable consistency. They gave away cookbooks in which all of the recipes called for Crisco to convince women to try it instead of Lard or Butter, must of worked as even now in 2019 it is still widely available. 
 Crisco came in glass jars during World War ll to conserve metal for the war effort. Now days the packaging is paper. I used many cans of it that were metal and then washed the cans well and used them to store cookies and other items. 
 In 1991 They introduced butter flavored Crisco and a decade later Crisco in baking sticks with Tablespoon measurements on the wrappers.
 Crisco does not need to be refrigerated though I do keep mine in the refrigerator so it is cold when I want to make pie crust. It still stays spreadable and soft and does not need to be room temperature for pie crust.
 If your cookie recipe calls for shortening instead of or with butter you need to do that. The shortening keeps the cookies from spreading all over the pan and will usually give you a crisper cookie.

6 comments:

  1. Crisco makes stuff so much better.

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  2. I know you like shortening, but for me it is the worst fat ever and I haven't used it for 25 years. My health is more important than flaky piecrust.

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    1. To each his own, Sue feels more like you do but mainly because she likes lard and lard does make a nice flakey crust also.

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  3. Now that is an old Crisco can.
    I also use Crisco in making my frosting for cakes and I do keep mine in the fridge as well. It gets just too warm when I store it in the pantry during the hot summer months

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    1. Hi Colleen, Isn't that a neat can, sure wish I had one like it, lol. Good to hear that someone else uses Crisco for frosting besides me. It had been quite hot here but cooler this week but I just leave mine in the fridge all the time.

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  4. I must say I agree with you. Sue uses Lard but I guess I just never got in the habit of using lard and have used Crisco too many years to give it up.

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