Today at the supermarket, my DD asked for strawberry shortcake after lunch. Fresh strawberries are only 99¢ these days so I bought a pack along with some whipped cream. I considered trying to make a quick shortcake at home but figured time was tight so I bought those cheap $1.49 "shortcake dessert cakes" at Kroger/Ralph's--6 to a pack--you fill them yourself.

I'm telling you, from the moment I opened them I could smell the stale shortening smell. They were fresh though, they have a sell by date of April 9 ( ok that alone should scare you.) My daughter thought it was fine but what does she know, she's 4. DH thought it was fine too, he didn't taste anything "off". I thought I must be hallucinating so I ate it anyway. Couldn't even finish one bite. Any of you who has ever had spoiled shortening, you know that smell and taste.

The clincher is, I even posted here about how I took back a brand-new 1lb tub of Sweetex to my local cake store last month, as it had that same "off" taste. That one didn't smell actually, it just tasted funny. I had some older Sweetex which I'd frozen, and it was FINE. I even tried my two icings side-by-side. As with the shortcake, DH couldn't detect a difference, yet I had to rinse my mouth out after eating the "new" one!

So what gives? Has anyone else experienced a sort of "false" taste perception where you think something tastes wrong but everyone else swears it's fine? Because now I don't know how I can be objective about my baked goods...if I think everything tastes awful I will chuck it.

FWIW I still have Crisco in my cupboard and it smells and tastes fine and I have used it for occasional icings or baked goods. So I am not oversensitive to ALL shortening "as a rule."

But this latest episode with the nasty cakes has me wondering. Or maybe some of you have eaten those cakes and can just set my mind at ease by telling me that they are horrendous .

I can't tell you how many times I've smelled french fries from a fast food restaurant which gave off the same smell.

I had bought some coconut oil from the local supply store a couple of years ago. She had bought it in bulk and re-packed it in plastic souffle cups. I wish I would have checked it at the store prior to purchase.

I've been told that even though fat-based products might be within their sell-by date, improper storage or handling can cause rancidity - extreme temperature changes (even if the can is sealed) or prolonged exposure to air can cause it to turn.

I have walked through the aisle of a market and smelled packaged butter cookies which turned because it sat on a shelf too long.

Theresa

You're a scratch baker, aren't you?

I've found, since I started doing cakes, that I just can't stomach alot of high preservative foods that I used to LOVE! And I find that I can taste alot of very subtle flavor changes that my family can't.