Coinciding with #NationalFrenchFryDay, the Healthy Fats Coalition has proclaimed July 13 the first annual #NationalBeefTallowDay -- a celebration of beef fat, an authentic, traditional ingredient that brings out the very best in food. Like pure lard, duck fat, goose fat and other animal fats, beef tallow is now enjoying a resurgence within America’s food culture, in restaurants and fast food operations.
#NationalBeefTallowDay is the brainchild of the HFC, a group of like-minded organizations, companies and individuals that have developed a new educational initiative dedicated to the proposition that healthy fats aren’t merely having a moment – they’re here to stay, as an essential part of the American diet. Its mission is simple: affirm that animal fats deserve a central place in the American diet and in the popular imagination. HFC is especially committed to raising awareness about the health benefits of natural animal fats like beef tallow.
#NationalFrenchFryDay, coinciding as it does with #NationalBeefTallowDay, is a prime opportunity for those who love French fries fried right to go back to the future. As food writer Nancy Luna recently mused in Nation’s Restaurant News, “Are French fries the new fast-food battleground? Fries have long been a staple on quick-service menus. But recently, the humble fried potato is undergoing a renaissance, with chains serving fries with a fancy twist.” A certain burger chain made its name in part through its beef tallow fries. As writer/social critic Malcolm Gladwell recently tweeted, https://twitter.com/gladwell/status/903273630070657024?lang=en.
“Fat is the soul of flavor,” wrote Nina Teicholz in her groundbreaking book, Big Fat Surprise (Simon & Schuster, 2014). “Food is tasteless and cooking nearly impossible without fat. Fat is essential in the kitchen to produce crispness and to thicken sauces. It is crucial in conveying flavors. It makes baked goods flaky, moist, and light. And fat has many other essential functions in cooking and baking.”
“We wholeheartedly agree with Nina -- healthy animal fats are on trend for flavor, wellness and sustainability,” said Ernest Miller, Corporate Chef for Coast Packing Company, a founding member of the HFC. “Artificial trans fats are out, and minimally processed animal fats like beef tallow -- for superior frying and a host of other cooking applications – are making a comeback. The color, texture and flavor that beef tallow imparts make it a vastly superior alternative to heavily processed, industrially produced substitutes. More and more consumers are seeking out food that is made with integrity and respect for culinary traditions. Natural, healthy animal fats are a big part of authenticity in cooking, which is why we’re so delighted to celebrate #NationalBeefTallowDay.”