It is possible to use a great variety of fats for cooking. Animal fats have been popular shortenings. Recent fat shortage has acquainted us with the value of vegetable fats as shortening and in spreads. Armour’s vegetable fat is Vegetole. It contains the same fuel value and has the same shortening value as lard. Pure Leaf Lard or vegetable fats are the ideal shortenings. Salad Oil, highly refined vegetable fat, Oleomargarine, Nut-ola, butter, and drippings from bacon, ham, beef and pork are used with entire satisfaction for shortening purposes. The fats best suited to deep frying and sautéing are those which have a very high burning point. For general “all purpose” satisfaction, pure leaf lard ranks first. There is an Armour product especially suited to every cookery need. FATS Bacon drippings may be substituted for lard in frying, baking, or in gravies, providing the drippings are clarified and not too strong. A great many people prefer the flavor of bacon drippings to any other shortening. Beef suet drippings, for reheating meats or for frying or shortening purposes, take the place of lard and are much more economical. Pork fat, left from roast, chops or ham, can be used in the same manner. Mutton drippings need no longer be set aside, since the housewife has learned how to sweeten them. Smoky kitchens indicate the improper use of fat in cooking. Too high a temperature causes a chemical change to take place which results in smoke and disagreeable odor, and also renders the fat less digestible. Put cold fat into a cold pan before placing it over the heat. Bringing into contact with the hot pan frequently results in burning the fat. For deep frying and sautéing, care should be taken not to heat the fat to too high a temperature, as burning decomposes the fat and renders it less digestible. In deep fat frying, place the food to be fried in the hot fat a small amount at a time. The addition of the cold food reduces the temperature of the fat. Do not pile fried articles. Drain on unglazed paper. Strain fat after using, save, and use again. FOODS SOAK FAT When fat is not hot enough, when mixture is too rich, when mixture is too moist, and when too much soda or baking powder has been used, deep-fried foods will take up too much fat and be greasy. TEST FOR TEMPERATURE A piece of soft bread will brown in 40 seconds in deep fat that is just hot enough for cooked articles, or in 60 seconds in fat at the right temperature for uncooked foods. Fat is too hot if it smokes. TO CLARIFY FAT To clarify the frying medium for second or third use, melt, add raw potato cut in quarter inch slices, and allow to heat gradually; when it ceases to bubble and the potatoes are well browned, strain through double cheesecloth, placed over the wire strainer into a pan. SALAD OIL USED IN COOKING