chewing the fat
I’ve had a surfeit of fats and oils in my diet and Chanukah is nowhere near ended. We’re past halfway and I keep reassuring myself that the end is in sight.
The exceptional amount of fat and oil in my diet during these eight days reminds me of something I think about annually. Every year I tell myself that this next year will be the one when I explore the more interesting byways of fats as demarcating culinary differences. It’s worth exploring, and I tell myself so every single year.
Think of it. Olive oil and the Mediterranean. Goose fat and Central Europe. Butter and Normandy. And think of the history of the colonies - how Australia has shifted from butter and lard to less butter and olive oil.
Fats are one of the absolutely key elements that distinguish one cuisine from another. Seasonings, carbohydrates, proteins and fats: sort these four out and you have a solid basis for beginning to understand any cuisine in the world.
So this year I will think about the fat issue some more. I promise. Or I will go on a low fat diet until my body has recovered from the festive season. Either way, fats will play a major role in my near future.
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