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Smooth ‘Trans’ition

By Michael Lipkin
for The Brooklyn Paper

The city’s much-ballyhooed trans-fat ban went into full effect on Tuesday, but in Brooklyn at least, butchers, bakers and even candlestick makers (OK, we made that part up) had little problem complying with the city’s new zero-tolerance approach to the pernicious Frankenfats. Our ace reporter Michael Lipkin hit Fifth Avenue to see how the ban was working on its first full day:

All of our suppliers stopped selling us trans fat products about a year ago. They have new versions, which taste and cost the same — except for the honey mustard. Customers have told me it’s more bland. Even kids have noticed.
Mike Condoulis, 26, Bay Ridge
Park Slope Diner
Fifth Avenue between 12th and 13th streets

I’ve only used non-trans fat oils for the past eight years, but in the early 1990s, all we used was trans fat. The new oils cost about 10-15 percent more, but we just bump up the price to compensate. It tastes better anyway.
Salvatore Scudiero, 42, Dyker Heights
Brooklyn Bread
Fifth Avenue at Sixth Street

We used margarine with trans fat a year ago, but we’ve switched to a different type for the same price. Now we have to buy in bulk, 50 pounds at a time, which makes it harder to measure. The recipes had to be slightly retooled — we added more flour — but the taste has been the same.
Carole Wood, 19, Crown Heights
’snice
Fifth Avenue at Third Street

We’ve mainly used butter in the past six months. Some [recipes] do use [trans fat], but the amount is below the standards. That’s always been our policy.
Trista Brown, 28, Prospect Heights
Trois Pommes Patisserie
Fifth Avenue and Garfield Street

Our desserts [are made] from scratch with regular butter because I’ve always had an issue with processed foods like trans fat.
Deirdre Jones, 41, Park Slope
Perch Café
Fifth Avenue and Fifth Street

We’re about healthfulness, so we’ve never used anything with trans fats. Also, trans fats help preserve — and since our muffins are gone by the end of the day, we don’t really need it.
Erik Goetze, 40, Park Slope
Blue Sky Bakery
Fifth Avenue between Bergen Street and St. Marks Avenue

All photos: The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin

©2008 The Brooklyn Paper

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