Some of you old timers may recall that I orginally joined FM looking for natural lard for soap making and for trying my hand at homemade tamales. Well, I'm still looking! Here is the summary of my lard findings for anyone who is interested:
-if you want leaf lard (which is not rendered and so no good for soap making but supposedly the best for pastry) then you can get it at Truck Patch Farm's booth at the Sunday Farmer's Market. I think they said $2.50/lb but don't quote me on that. Order ahead if you want a significant quantity
-I tried walking into a Hispanic store in Fell's Point but the clerk looked at me like I was nuts and said they don't carry it
-I've tried calling the meat seller at the Amish Market in Shrewsbury but no go
-I tried the meat seller at the Amish Market in Laurel (seems to be the same company) but no go unless maybe they could try to special order it
-Flying Pigs Farm in NY apparently could ship it to you but it is $4/ lb which is way too expensive for a soapmaking oil
-Springfield Farm in Sparks doesn't sell lard and didn't know where I could get some
-I called Dangerously Delicious Pies because there were references online to the fact that they use lard for pie crusts but they said they no longer do - they now use shortening
-I called Hatfields Meats and theirs is typical grocery store stuff (In case you didn't know, the stuff in the grocery store refrigerator section, like Esskay brand, contains BHT and other goodies. The stuff that is shelf stable at Walmart is hydrogenated)
-Laurel Meat Market resells Esskay but can sell me fat back for $2.29/ lb in 10 lb increments to render my own (I've done it once)
-Mt. Airy Meatlocker re-sells Hatfields, they can sell me fat back for .80/lb with advance notice
-Dorsey Meats in Woodsboro, MD will make an order of lard for me in 30 lb pail increments for approx. $1.30/lb, pigs are not grassfed ... No additives but I either have to pick it up there or meet their driver on the day he's in Fell's Point or order $150 worth and he will deliver it to my house.
The Dorsey guy says he needs a couple of weeks' notice. Any folks interested in getting a lard order together?
Sun photo by Kim Hairston