The Story Of Crisco With A Muffin Recipe - The Old Cookbook Show

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

We’re in transit today - when we get home, I’ll add the link to the beater and the book ‘Dorito Effect’ --- Edited to add: For everyone asking about the beater: www.beaterblade.com/ I think it's great - They provided the beater for free, but I don't get anything for using it or if you order one.

[@lilshawn2]

I NEEEED this beater!!!!!!!1!1!!!

[@carols.martinez8533]

Thank you! Safe and happy travels to you and Julie!

[@CharlenePink-Dufresne]

That's great! Have fun on your trip. Could Julie share her rhubarb ginger jam recipe?

[@truepeacenik]

You should pin this!

[@laurenhill2291]

It looks like they only ship within the USA :(

[@SirLunchalot2]

My Mom was born in 1903 so she was learning to cook in the era of your Crisco cookbook. Her muffins really were similar to that, and we had our own homemade jellies and jams to use, at least what we were able to grow in the arrid climate of central Texas. That really was the purpose of the muffin, a vessel so to speak for your favourite topping. I remember how my Mom's muffins sort of evolved when she discovered bran muffins. Then there was the addition of apples and pears. Those were good, stand alone treats, toasted with some butter. I miss those days, thanks for sharing.

[@The_Real_NaCLH201]

What is the scraper called that the person sent you? Or where can we find it? I NEED one.

[@mattsmith9719]

Search for "Beater blade"

[@Hanimex.]

Try searching new Metro beater blade

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Here's the link. I think the beater is great - They provided the beater for free, and I don't get anything for using it or if you order one: www.beaterblade.com/

[@teresajarkowska5792]

Your comment “why not use butter” just about sums it up. This shows the power of advertising well before radio and tv.

[@NoZenith]

​@@GlenAndFriendsCookingis the beater blade better than the KitchenAid branded single-sided one?

[@mdem5059]

Any chance of getting the link to the store for the mixer attachment you used? Would be a great gift for a family member who loves baking and also hates the attachment that comes in the box.

[@donedwards5301]

Ditto. I HATE scraping down that bowl all the time.

[@NotKev2017]

His post above says that they are in transit today and will do it when they get home.

[@surlyogre1476]

It is in the description box, now (Sunday 2100 (9:00pm) EDT.) edit: 22 Oct.2023.

[@IsaacIsaacIsaacson]

We need to bring back gem pans. They had all sorts of fun shapes.

[@redoorn]

the new gizmo for the mixer looks like NewMetro BeaterBlade and im going to buy one. Thanks, Glen

[@WilliamLeeSims]

Thanks for finding this!

[@RonOhio]

Thanks for that, one item off of my Christmas stocking stuffer list.

[@TheQShow]

If Glenn sees this, please include the product in the description, many copies available already and we’d like to support the creator

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Here's the link. I think the beater is great - They provided the beater for free, and I don't get anything for using it or if you order one: www.beaterblade.com/

[@stephenjohnson7162]

@@GlenAndFriendsCooking FYI the one that would fit my 30 + year old Kitchen Aid mixer goes for $36.

[@gregdunn460]

Definitely need that beater attachment!

[@crazydorian1]

I see a few other people mentioning it. I'd like the name of the scraper/company as well.

[@TanifsThoughts]

As a home soap maker, I appreciate you explaining this.

[@gaildunbar7186]

You can’t beat the taste of butter

[@MetricJester]

I keep telling my wife that I don't want muffins at Tim Hortons, because modern muffins are actually cupcakes.

[@kdnp529]

There’s no sugar! It’s high fructose corn syrup which is basically poison.

[@dorothy7743]

Yes! Someone else who recognizes this! I love real original muffins for breakfast, NOT cupcakes

[@micheleforgione150]

Link to the mixer attachment please Glenn!!

[@NoZenith]

Beater Blade

[@christines2787]

I always keep a container of crisco in the back of my cabinet for emergencies. We had trouble getting vegtable oil and butter at one point in the pandemic and I was so happy I had some.

[@CDMatt94]

Yes would love to find out the brand

[@dannidunn9302]

Ordered the beater. I can’t wait to get it. Thanks.

[@violetwithey4618]

Love that you talk about the history of food. Now that you've done Crisco you need to do a recipe and history on oleo/margarine.

[@kimberlyvarvorines4933]

My mom always had a can of Crisco in the back of the lower cabinet. She passed away several years ago and I'm living in her house. When I was cleaning out that cupboard, I had to crack up when I opened the can of Crisco. It was all cracked and I think it probably was from the early eighties. She stopped using it after she had to watch her diet and it probably just got shoved back there and forgot about😄

[@ellefaye448]

I was so very mesmerized by the beater attachment, I totally missed the history lesson. It fits the bowl perfectly! I don't have a mixer but live vicariously through yours.

[@leneeanderson4848]

Yes we need the link to the scraper beater! I fond the standard kitchen aid scraper doesn't work all that well either.

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Here's the link. I think the beater is great - They provided the beater for free, and I don't get anything for using it or if you order one: www.beaterblade.com/

[@leneeanderson4848]

@@GlenAndFriendsCooking thank you!! Im going to order one in the morning. I did think it looked like it worked much better in the video!

[@Lutefisk_lover]

“Why not use butter?” Precisely! I enjoy that Julie comes in cold - she represents all of us!

[@mhatfield3488]

Crisco was also heavily marketed to Jewish communities at this time, as an alternative product to butter. It followed the standards set forth by kosher guidelines, etc. Cincinnati had a large Jewish population, and crisco was unleashed to the masses….love food history! Thanks for your channel!

[@mr.grotto]

I remember when they changed to fully hydrogenated last year. I was excited to see the change, then saw it was palm oil... Like you said, whatever is cheapest will be their route.

[@johncochran5509]

I’m not sure what the latest best guidance is, but I’ve been trying to avoid Crisco or anything with palm oil in it because of the concerns about the environmental damage caused by the palm-oil industry clearing forest for plantations.

[@evelyngrammar]

and now they suggest to chill the Crisco before making a pie dough.

[@catastropheoverclock]

Palm oil harvesting is bad for tigers and orangutans 😢

[@jrkorman]

@@evelyngrammar But, my grandmother made her pie crusts with lard. Always chilled before use! That was in the 1960s.

[@mattv5281]

It's not even cheap. A 48oz tub like Glen has is $9.50 in my local store. That's barely cheaper than butter. Unfortunately I just started a strict dairy free diet, so I've had to use crisco instead of butter for baking. The latest formulation leaves a greasy coating on my tongue. It's been years since I had it last, so I don't know if it was always that way, or if it's changed significantly. The palm oil content is unfortunate, but I can't use lard or other animal fats either. Are there any palm oil free vegetable shortenings on the market?

[@beverlygarner7996]

My mother used Crisco for everything, in Kansas, in the 50s & beyond. Always yummy!

[@johniwan1]

Mixer attachment link please...

[@cherylrosbak4092]

The same authenticity argument gets played out in the historical costuming communities, too. It's impossible to be historically accurate when you physically cannot acquire the same basic products. That said, I now want a gem pan (one of our local antique stores always has them) for making multiple fried eggs at one time.

[@mariap89596]

OMG I want/need/have to have that scraper NOW! Please share the company name or link!

[@derekmarsellus977]

I am also someone who struggles with the lack of scraping of the Kitchenaid paddle. Would you be willing to share your source for the new one you have?

[@allycatxxoo]

This was a lot of fun to watch, thank you!

[@lw9837]

We once baked 2 cakes, 1 with Crisco, 1 with butter, but otherwise the same recipe. The Crisco cake was about an inch taller and fluffier. Never made those recipes with butter after that! (This was before folks understood the problems of hydrogenated oils.)

[@ghc7400]

I thought that you would use something like a madelaine pan when you first talked about the recipe. I love that scraper/beater.

[@1One2Three5Eight13]

I also was wondering from Glen's description if a madeline pan would work, so even if we're both off base, at least we're wrong together.

[@cherylcooper2838]

I have always used Crisco for the best flaky pie crust. My moms cook book was a 1940's book. The crust uses ice water and the least amount to hold together. Crisco and butter makes great fried fish too (Minnesota here).

[@2packs4sure]

Hey back in the day in our house when Loretta Lynn told you something was good,,, it was good !!! :)

[@vlmellody51]

Entertaining and informative as always, Glenn! I hope you and Julie are having a wonderful time in Japan.

[@lanceharsh7025]

When they changed the product I gave up using it as it used to be the go to for pie crust. I've flipped in the last year or so to rendering and using lard. Yeah, I can't believe it either. 😅

[@jayannpreston8393]

So interesting. My mother never used Crisco, always butter. Love your channel.

[@AlanDayley]

That new mixing beater is on point!

[@multiplesifl]

I had this book! My great grandmother gave it to my grandmother and she gave it directly to me. Wish I still had it.

[@graceparker7003]

My Grandmother, Mother and now I have used Crisco for our entire lives. Sadly they are gone now, but their recipes live on through me and my sisters. I know that I wouldn't have a kitchen without it and it's not just for making muffins. It has a host of uses that I can't even begin to cover here.

[@doveandolive1153]

Love my Sunday mornings with a cup of coffee and a history lesson on food, food products, recipes & cooking ❤ I bet those Ginger Gems were smothered with butter, honey or homemade preserves.

[@lorassorkin]

I really appreciate this story of Crisco. Vegetable oil is never made from what we consider vegetables. I took a deep dive into this a few years ago - because veg doesn't contain fat, I wanted to understand. The marketing in the states removes almost all mention of 'seed", which frankly would have rendered by research unnecessary.

[@classicallpvault]

This isn't correct. One of the most common vegetable oils, rapeseed oil, is made from the seeds of a cabbage cultivar. What parts of cabbage plants do we eat as vegetables? Exactly, the flowers. So the oil is literally produced by vegetables. Another extremely common vegetable oil, sunflower oil, again, is produced by flowers which are also, albeit much more rarely, eaten as a vegetable. Any seed oil from an edible flower can correctly be called vegetable oil.

[@teneagles]

I think the closest modern approximation of a gem pan, in terms of depth, would be one of those muffin-top pans. I inherited a couple of gem pans, and they're hardly more than an inch deep.

[@donaldparlett7708]

I remember back I the day Crisco was in every pantry. I used it to cook pancakes on the flat top griddle or eggs to get a great crispy edge.

[@ninakirkland2459]

My mother-in-law used Crisco exclusively in her baking and dumplings and taught me to do that also. I stopped using Crisco, but thing the result it had was better than any other fat I've used for things like pie crust and Choc Chip Cookies.

[@BrianHanscom0790]

Another amazing episode and learning experience.👍 Watching from Pahrump Nevada 🇺🇲

[@brendaivey8828]

ok so how so I get my hands on the beater love the channel

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Here's the link. I think the beater is great - They provided the beater for free, and I don't get anything for using it or if you order one: www.beaterblade.com/

[@TonyHassan-l6e]

I have been a baker for 50 years and Crisco is completely outside of my experience, and frankly, it looks revolting.

[@shirleyannconfer9651]

You made me hungry for the candied ginger that I keep around for when my stomach is upset. These look interesting.

[@lwilton]

According to the book _Night Dancin'_ by Vita Miezitis and Bill Bernstein, published in June 1980, which was a documentary of the best discos to be found, and published about one month before Disco overnight disappeared, in NYC there was a gay disco club named the _Crisco Disco_ . The DJ booth was designed to look like a large can of Crisco.

[@russrollins9978]

My fondest memory of Crisco is my mom's Whoopie Pies. The filling was made with Crisco & powdered sugar, and were one of my favorite cookies back then. The new filling in Whoopie Pies just isn't the same.

[@surlyogre1476]

I inherited my mom's old KitchenAid stand mixer. I don't use it frequently, but when I do, I often have to stop and scrape down the bowl. That _paddle_ ? looks like a game changer. Thank you for the recommendation. Also, commenting to feed the algorithm. And "like"👍.

[@Tiger351]

You can still find round (hemispherical) gem pans new but you really have to search for them, in some markets they may also be called "Dutch pancake" pans. Totally agree with Glen about adding some ground ginger to the batter to add some flavour.

[@fionaedge5332]

In my country New Zealand vegetable shortening as sold now is made from coconut oil. Gem pans as your describing sound like patty tins or Queen Cake tins here. Whereas we have Gem irons which are preheated in the oven before adding gem batter, and they are shaped like 12 little caskets. And they are quiet like Madeline's.

[@garputhefork]

I've got a muffin recipe that was touted to be from the "pilgrim" times, and it's very plain. (It uses butter, though.) Goes great with jam or butter, and as a base for berries, or other things.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

If you could easily paste the recipe here I'd appreciate it. As a jam maker I've wanted a good plain muffin recipe for years. I tried Jiffy once but it was terrible.

[@dawng.8836]

My former mother in law, learned to use Crisco instead of butter in her cake frosting ,at a Wilton cooking class.

[@PlanetComputer]

thanks glen i've been having a fascination with crisco recently because it looks like it tastes good

[@skim9251]

I love these history videos. I had always been told crisco originated as a candle fuel, and the letter I in the crisco logo was a candle as a memento of that original use.

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Interesting! But sadly not true.

[@GracieValenti1]

Such an interesting vid! I've never cooked with Crisco but remember my mom using it back in the 60's and 70's. For some reason I always thought it was just a brand name for an animal lard. Learn something new every day, thank you!

[@DuckyB]

Just like Minnie says in The Help - Got gum in your hair? Squeaky door hinge? Crisco. Bags under your eyes? Husband’s scaly feet? Crisco. But its best for frying chicken. But like Glen I always say Just use butter! Great video!

[@JerryB507]

I'm a butter and animal fat guy, except when it comes to frying chicken. There is something about Crisco that just makes my fried chicken turn out better than with animal fat. FWIW, french fries are best cooked in beef tallow.

[@truepeacenik]

@@JerryB507I grew up near a cotton seed processor. I did not know what it was until my mid teens. But it smelled like fried chicken, all the time.

[@vickyconerty8822]

I love the history you share, I always learn something.

[@caffeinatedengineer7993]

My family used crisco as cheap lubricant. We couldn't afford wd40. Lol

[@Newfie4024]

Looks like a New Metro Design Beater attachment.

[@wallymurray620]

Sure does and unfortunately Amazon seems to be sold out of the 4-5 qt tilt head style right now 😐

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Here's the link. I think the beater is great - They provided the beater for free, and I don't get anything for using it or if you order one: www.beaterblade.com/

[@delemetriagrant5503]

How do I get one of those betters?

[@Simsane]

I rarely use Crisco IN a recipe but I do still use it to grease my pans or grease then flour for cake pans.

[@christopherschwab6525]

This may be the first time I've heard Glen and Jules say: "Make this your own. We beg you, we *implore* you. Please add any flavor..." Crystallized ginger and powdered ginger for sure. Maybe a dose of citrus oil/zest, lemon or lime? My instinct would certainly be that additional sweet spices would just compete with the ginger? Fully prepared to be wrong.

[@NRajah]

How would they come out of you used butter? Maybe that's a parallel series - modernised and improved old cookbook show

[@driverjayne]

Butter has significantly more water than crisco (which doesn't have any) so you'd need to adjust the entire recipe for it to come out the same.

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

Great idea.

[@Default78334]

My personal experience is that vegetable shortening is more of a direct substitute for lard than for butter. That said, if you are trying to replicate that classic box mix texture, vegetable shortening is the secret.

[@anna9072]

I find this amusing. In the early 1900’s they’re updating recipes to use Crisco instead of butter, in the early 2000’s we’re talking about updating recipes to use butter instead of Crisco…

[@lindakjeldgaard7267]

great info. Used Crisco in my pie crusts for years after i left the farm and lard that was rendered from our pork by our butchering. Still keep a small can in the fridge - I am not sure why!

[@mikenewman4078]

Cooked in Gem irons the flavour would be more caramelised. The cotton seed oil version of shortening possibly had some flavour. I bought my gem iron set new about 20 years ago they are cast aluminium and when used as a pair the resulting cake (Gem Scone) is ball shaped about 30mm diameter with a nicely formed crust.

[@seanlavoie2]

Interesting exploration of history and recipe ^_^

[@anthonydolio8118]

Thanks.

[@toddmadsen2732]

Love the history part of the show..as always

[@dbell95008]

I love the marketing ploys they used! "... and one-fifth less can be used". Bait for the math-impaired!

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

I love the history lessons on Sunday mornings.

[@joantrotter3005]

I had a dream a few nights ago where a passed friend was talking about muffins, specifically apple zucchini with Velveeta frosting. She would have loved the old cookbooks! I miss Avis....

[@ApprenticeWriter]

I remember hearing that Crisco really changed jewish-American cooking, since it was a Kosher fat. It’d be interesting to learn more about that at some point.

[@markiangooley]

It was PROMOTED as being pareve (neither meat or milk) fat, and the manufacturer put out promotional booklets with recipes - in both English and Yiddish! Fairly early on! Of course they didn’t realize that partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil was high in trans fats and that they were especially encouraging devout American Jews who kept kosher to endanger their health…

[@davetarpley3740]

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are the ones that are packed with trans fats. Fully hydrogenating the oils eliminates the trans fats. The palm oil is probably in Crisco to help reproduce the characteristics of the genuinely unhealthy version. I still don't eat it much but the touch of vegetable shortening in modern peanut butters is MAGIC. (Even in the old partially-hydrogenated era, The USDA and Prevention magazine found no trans fats in major brands of stabilized peanut butter.) Since Glen is Canadian I have to mention that Dark Roast Jif is the best peanut butter I know of. Not available here in the States. I suspect DRJ has more shortening in it than U.S. peanut butter. It also has peanut oil as an ingredient, which used to be common in peanut butter up until the 1970s or so.

[@lisamoore6804]

My mom used Crisco all the time when I was a kid. That was back in the 70's and 80's.

[@markiangooley]

Mine too! This despite her being from Germany. Postwar aid from the USA included food parcels, and those included Crisco or a knockoff. Germans called it Affenfett, or “ape fat” and didn’t always use it as shortening. Sometimes it was flavored with onions and whatever spices they could get and spread on bread instead of butter or margarine! Yummy!

[@amyburl3826]

Love this channel, always learning something new here.

[@wickedbunny2020]

Ive been training my taste buds and body to like plain old fashioned not over salted/sugared homemade food for 2 yrs and its not easy! I love salt and I love sugar lol

[@lazygardens]

Crisco is great for kosher, vegetarian and vegan cooks.

[@thephotoplayer]

Now I’m wondering what the heck “Gluten Bread” is, and how you can even achieve that when you’re using shortening!

[@derekh989]

This was great!

[@janmclain6301]

I love these so much! Thank you Glen!

[@dianebekel9326]

Crisco contains a additive called TBHQ. It helps to keep the fat from turning as quickly. TBHQ is in a lot of products such as fast food frying oil, most Reece’s products, many Keebler products, some spray oils, and so forth. I’m allergic to this which makes eating out like walking through a mine field. Just extra info.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

In a sane world we wouldn't be fed things that microbes know to avoid.

[@emma9sachi]

Thanks for the education but I probably won’t be trying this recipe ! Julie’s facial expression when tasting it says it all. 😂

[@dbell95008]

And we're all hearing the opening of "Also sprach Zarathustra" right now!

[@itzel1735]

With the original gem pans being cast iron and shallow, would they have baked up differently? If you preheat the gem pans would there be more browning? Would the shallow pan have the texture turn out more like madelines or soft cookies? I don’t own gem pans, and will never make this recipe, just speculating.

[@nanabobana]

Preheating them is better for cornbread, might be too hot and too fast for a light cake like this. I have many CI gem pans, so adorable! :)

[@babbiification]

I was wondering this as well. I expect with a gem pan you might serve them pan side up like madeleines, so the more brown side would be presented as opposed to the classic muffin top we see these days. I might pop down to the antique shop and see if I can find a pan, but I'll probably just make madeleines this weekend :P

[@gsilcoful]

Thank you.

[@seanmackey1469]

Started the video and noticed right away the new paddle mixer for the kitchen aid. I will have to find one. I know you don't do product reviews but thanks for you honest opinion.

[@valpetrovic1884]

Hahaha 2001 was exactly what I was hearing too!!!! Just LOVE your show!!

[@surlyogre1476]

2001 or _JAWS_ .

[@Puzzledrev]

I still remember some of the ad song. They're cooking with Crisco From New York to Frisco Pies are so flaky, cakes are so light Fried food with Crisco...

[@kurtisburtis]

I think lemon would be a lovely addition…

[@asdisskagen6487]

Glen, I absolutely adore your cooking show + history lessons and very much look forward to your "Old Cookbook Show" each week. Today's entry reinforces the idea that from the outset people running large corporations employed deception to maximize profits. So unfortunate. Just because something is edible, doesn't mean it's food. CRISCO = 🤢

[@classicallpvault]

It should be replaced by either lard or beef kidney fat. Both have similar properties when used in baking and make excellent pastry dough.

[@walterco7701]

I'm not much for using shortening anymore, either, but I have to say that the recipe for banana bread my family has always used calls for it and it's the best banana bread. I find butter too ... oily? in most banana breads. #coolstory It's trippy to think of all these innovative, highly processed things being first introduced as miracle products versus now, when we all know the more processed something is the worse it is for you. Heh.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

I use coconut oil when I bake, including banana bread, and have been very happy with the results. Despite being quite aromatic on its own, it goes neutral when combined with other flavors.

[@donklesa6040]

I remember the secretary at one of my customers telling me that in the '40's she remembered seeing Holocaust survivor sitting on the steps of his walkup eating Crisco out of the can with a loaf of bread.

[@markiangooley]

Crisco on bread was common in postwar Germany when Crisco and knockoff versions were usually in food parcels from the U. S. Usually the Crisco was flavored with onions and what spices were available… known as Affenfett, which means ape fat, because it was so unfamiliar.

[@MrRbillharz]

I have a large collection of vintage cast iron, (lots of gem pans) and my preferred seasoning is Crisco. I don't know for sure, but I would think Lodge still makes a gem pan.

[@SuHu62]

My aunt's emplover gave her a Christmas goodie box, filled with all kinds of things, including a smoked ham, cookies, a large box of chocolates, local candies and a large bottle of cooking oil - Wesson, I think. Other than that yearly bottle of oil, we were a 100% Crisco house. I didn't know you could use anything else 😂

[@classicallpvault]

Here in the Netherlands it's the opposite. We would use margarine instead if using an artificial fat source. If you were to look to buy Crisco here you'd see it advertised by fetish shops as a type of lube aimed at those who like to stick large objects where the light doesn't shine.

[@juliebigge]

Ok. 2 things... My grandmother wasn't what you'd call a "constant scratch baker". That being said, in her pantry was a can of Crisco, that, I swear she had owned since the 50's. I'll be the first witness to tell you, there was a very strange aroma coming from what was in that can. It almost smelled like cocoa butter! I ended up throwing it out. She was very angry! Apparently there were a mirad of uses for that old product that had nothing to do with cooking. 😂 Including rubbing it along thread for easier sewing. Who knew! Second...I just bought a new kitchen aid and was immediately drawn to that new beater you have!

[@intothebluesea]

ooooo I bought that beater (and pouring chute!!) so fast!!

[@emilybilbow4990]

I’m going to point out that in general in the early 1900s people tended to eat because they were actually hungry… I can attest that when I’m hungry most things taste really good, even extremely plain/boring ones…

[@area4997]

The quaint persuasive and convincing description at that time of Crisco belies how really bad this stuff actually is for humans to eat. 😎