The Complete Handbook of Shortening & Lard

Finally, a reference that treats lard and shortening as the serious ingredients they are. The chapter on understanding exactly how fat's crystalline structure affects a pie crust's flakiness was worth the price alone. I've already changed my baking process based on the tempering advice in Chapter 1, and the results have been noticeably more consistent. This is the book I wish I'd had when I started as a pastry chef.

There's a lot of solid information here, and I can see it being a valuable reference on my shelf. The science is explained clearly, and the troubleshooting chart in Chapter 5 is genuinely useful. However, I felt the business opportunities chapter was a bit of a stretch and the future trends section felt speculative. I was hoping for a bit more on advanced formulation from a baker's perspective, but for general professional use, it's a good, practical read.

This book does a great job of cutting through the confusion about which fat to use when. The comparison points in Chapter 1 on melting points and plasticity are exactly what I needed to explain to my staff why we use different fats for croissants versus laminated doughs. It's very thorough, though not exactly a page-turner. It earns its place as a reference, but it's not something you read cover-to-cover for fun.

I'm a barbecue guy, and I've been rendering my own lard for years. This handbook gave me the vocabulary to understand why my method works and where I can improve. The section on the different types of fat and their specific behaviors was very helpful. I docked a star only because I wish there were more photos to illustrate the textures and consistency being discussed, but the prose is informative and direct.

I bought this because I'm a serious home baker looking to professionalize my process. The first chapter explaining the 'how' and 'why' of fats was the most accessible I've read. It's not a fluffy read, it is dense with facts, but the information is immediately applicable. I did find myself skimming the more industrial sections about bulk purchasing and business strategy, but the core knowledge about fat chemistry is spot on.

A genuinely useful manual. I appreciated the emphasis on troubleshooting, which saved me from a poor batch of doughnuts this week. The chapter on maintenance is practical and thorough. The book doesn't sugar-coat the science, which I respect. I'd have liked a quick-reference summary card, but the organization of the chapters makes it easy enough to find what you need. A solid, professional-grade resource.

There's no denying the book is comprehensive and authoritative. I loved the deep dive into the properties of lard and how it behaves differently from hydrogenated shortening. That said, I did find some sections, like the one on suppliers, to be too broad, lacking the specific names and contact details I was hoping to find. It feels more like a textbook for a class than a manual for a busy professional. Still, a useful addition to my library.

As someone who manages a commercial kitchen, the 'Understanding' chapter was a great refresher on why we choose hydrogenated fats for our fryers and lard for certain pastries. The book provides clear, evidence-based explanations, which is exactly what I need when justifying orders. It's a bit dry in places and some of the language is technical, but I found it to be a truly comprehensive handbook and a step above most industry literature.