Kathy wrote:
> I read recently that if one substitutes oil for shortening in baking,
the
> result comes out greasy because shortening is whipped full of air and
oil
> has no air.

Whatever you read (you give no citation) is patently false. In baking
*all* fats are refered to as shortening (from fats having the ability
to 'shorten' gluten fibers), whether solid or liquid. Butter and lard
is shortening and regular butter and lard has no air whipped into it
(whipped butter is not generally recommended for baking). Hydrogenated
fat (ie. Crisco) has no air "whipped" into it per se but some air is
incorporated during the manufacturing process (hydrogenization makes
liquid fat a solid at room temperature). Whether to use solid or liquid
fat is determined by the particular recipe ("greasy" has not a whit to
do with anything, unless you're a southerner--see "greazy and url"* [a
genetic speech impediment due to interbreeding]* 'Scientific
American'), most yeast risen products use liquid shortening, most
cakes, cookies, and other soda risen products use solid shortening. To
learn about "Crisco" (a brand name for a hydrogenated shortening) go
he http://crisco.com/about/faqs.asp