Fat of the Land

Fat is brilliant stuff. Not only does it provide meat with a whole lot of flavour, but on its own, it can be rendered (reduced to a liquid state by gentle heating) for a bunch of cooking options. In a nation battling obesity, it’s important to understand that not all fats are the same – also, not all fats make you fat! Properly raised animals provide meat with good fats, while processed foods contain unhealthy fats. Cooking with animal fat has got a bad rap over the years, but the truth is, used in moderation, it gives food crackerjack flavour and is better for you than inferior oils or margarine. Save the bacon fat from your next fry-up and use it to shallow-fry some otherwise dull vegetables – you’ll understand what I’m talking about.