NYC keeps the cannoli but drops the trans fats

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: NYT/AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- Making cannoli is serious business in New York. It's a dessert so tempting that even a hit man in the ''Godfather'' couldn't leave a box behind. But even the most respected chefs of this and other pastries are being ordered to make changes by Tuesday -- the day New York's trans fat ban takes full effect.

New York is the first American city to adopt such a stringent rule.

Starting this week, the ban extends to almost all prepared food in restaurants, bakeries, cafeterias, salad bars and food carts. There will be a three-month grace period before big fines are slapped on violators. The artery-clogging substance was first banned from cooking oils last year.

Chefs who relied on trans fats to make their pie crusts flaky, their crackers crispy and their muffins moist have worked overtime finding substitute ingredients. They have burned through hundreds of gallons of oil, shortening and margarine trying to retool old recipes without damaging flavor, texture or color.

Yet, with the deadline looming, it appears that few, if any foods, are getting whacked....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/health/AP-Diet-Trans-Fat-Ban.html

[dkf]

1. I thought this was ridiculous when I first heard it, but now I'm happy about it.

Especially after Tim Russert's death. That really scared me.

[whistle]

2. No more butter, lard and shortening in NYC canolies

:cry:

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Re. the cannoli --

New York's biggest maker of fried dough shells for the classic Italian dessert reports that after four months of sometimes frustrating experimentation, cooks finally produced a trans-fat-free replacement that is just as crisp and delicious as the original.

''There is a little difference in taste,'' acknowledged Mauricio Vasquez, general manager of Ariola Foods, which has been turning out pastries in Queens for 85 years. But, he added, ''If you weren't familiar with the shell beforehand, you'd never know the difference.''

[I Have A Dream]

4. They should still be able to use butter and lard. They're high in...

saturated fat but not in the outlawed trans fat.

[kestrel91316]

8. They also have those very good monounsaturated fats in them, IIRC.

So butter and lard are WAY better for you than trans fats, which are basically a slow poison IMHO.

[On the Road]

9. Yes, Butter is an Improvement Over Crisco

and even lard is probably better.

Deep-frying is not a problem. I think pastries are the only issue due to texture, browing, etc.

[Cirque du So-What]

12. Actually, Crisco got the message

It's been reformulated to contain 0g trans fats per serving.

[On the Road]

17. Is That Right?

How do they do that? I thought that hydrogenation was needed to stiffen the oil.

[kestrel91316]

6. Not to worry. Butter and lard are natural substances derived from animals.

They ARE NOT trans fats.

Trans fats are manufactured chemicals which are NOT FOOD.

[kestrel91316]

5. I don't even live in NYC and am thrilled that they are banning trans fats.

Trans fats ARE NOT FOOD. They are biologically inappropriate to ingest. How they ever got approved as "food" is beyond me - I guess it's a testament to how lax standards were decades ago.

[stray cat]

7. Excellent move!

[Dr.Phool]

10. Let them eat Tiramisu!

[Kali]

11. pfffff

:spray:

[Cirque du So-What]

13. Trans fats don't even qualify as food

Savvy hog farmers won't even feed it to their animals, who fail to thrive and often die from it.

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

14. This is ridiculous. Just post a sign that they contain trans fats and

let the consumer decide.

Madness.

[Duke Newcombe]

16. That sounds too much like common sense...

...and treating grownups like grownups. We'll have NONE that here!!!

Duke

[Snarkturian Clone]

18. I agree.

Lots of DUers love fascism as long as it's from the left. Adults can't make decisions, they need a corrupt and incompetent government to make decisions for them.

[Duke Newcombe]

15. In related news: NYC creates thriving underground market...

...for illicit canolis, and other trans-fat laden foodstuffs.

"Hey man...I got what you need _right_ _here_!!!" ;)

Duke