On Food and Cooking

major exceptions to this rule. The first is caul
fat, a thin membrane of connective tissue with
a lacework of small fat deposits embedded in
it. This membrane is the omentum or
peritoneum, usually from the pig or sheep,
which covers the organs of the abdominal
cavity. Caul fat has been used at least since
Roman times as a wrap to hold foods together
and protect and moisten their surface while
they are cooked. During the cooking, much of
the fat is rendered from the membrane and the
membrane itself is softened, so that it all but
disappears into the food.
The second fat tissue frequently used as is
is mild, soft-textured pork fat, especially the
thick deposits lying immediately under the
skin of belly and back. Bacon is largely fat
tissue from the belly, while back fat is the
preferred fat for making sausages (p. 170).
Italian lardo is pork fat cured in salt,
flavorings, and wine, eaten as is or used to
flavor other dishes. In classic French cooking,