A friend once described mayonnaise as "whipped fat." That name somehow seems more appropriate for a particular, traditional Polish highlander dish called "smalec," with the "c" pronounced "ts." It is, in a word, lard. Seasoned lard, with big chucks of boczek in it (which is basically smoked fat-back — yum). The funny thing about it is that they add something to the lard so it's not so solid (not like the solid white blob I bought to make tortillas with the other week), and then whip it. Yes, I've literally eaten whipped fat, smeared it fresh-baked bread.

It took a moment before I could actually bring myself to eat it, though. I sat there, looking at the piece of bread with the glistening concoction smeared all over it, the blobs of smoked fat sitting like burnt raisins in the whipped fat that looked more like dirty whipped cream, wondering if I could go through with it. Obviously I did, else I wouldn't be rambling about it.

And — surprise — it was tasty. Tasty in a cholesterolly, carnivorous kind of way, but tasty all the same.

Kinga informed me that she's had much better, and that I shouldn't judge all whipped fat on that one experience, but I think I will anyway.

Ironically enough, just as I was about to "go to press" with this, the lady of the house where I lived made some smalec. It turns out that I was wrong — it's not whipped fat. Still, I thought what I wrote above was kind of appropriate nonetheless. At right you can take a look at the process. Appetizing, no?