Build For Tomorrow Margarine: A Cautionary Tale of Stupid Laws
Jun 18, 2018
In this engaging discussion, Alex Guarnaschelli, an Iron Chef and executive chef at Butter in NYC, dives into the fascinating and contentious history of margarine. She reveals how margarine began as a revolutionary, cost-effective alternative, only to be sabotaged by the dairy industry’s legislative maneuvers. The podcast examines the cultural significance of these spreads through time, the unjust regulations that stifled innovation, and the quirky food battles that have shaped American culinary preferences. Get ready for a flavorful history lesson!
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Secret Margarine in Christmas Cookies
- John Munson's family secretly used margarine in Christmas cookies despite being butter loyalists.
- This story reflects the deep cultural complexities and contradictions around margarine in Wisconsin.
Butter's Limits Spur Innovation
- Butter has been used for thousands of years but has downsides: labor intensity and poor shelf life.
- These limitations led to the invention of margarine as a cheaper, longer-lasting fat substitute.
Margarine as Nutritional Solution
- Margarine solved real nutritional problems in the 19th century by providing affordable fat to working-class people.
- This reframes margarine from a cheap butter substitute to an important dietary solution.
