At PDRA Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Modern Racing, Coast Packing Hits the Strip in Petersburg, Virginia May 2-4 – And Maps Area’s Top Lard and Beef Tallow Spots

Gustafson and team are coming off a strong first race of the PDRA season, qualifying fourth among 19 entrants in Pro Boost and earning a semifinal appearance, but coming up a bit short of the win.  The team is looking to improve on the first race of the year by going all the way to the winner’s circle at the PDRA Mid-Atlantic Showdown this week.

For the PDRA circuit’s second stop, Coast Packing, the leading supplier of animal fat shortenings in the Western U.S., has assembled a special online gastronomic #FatMap804 (https://bit.ly/2ZNmvwr), showcasing local spots where fans can “Taste the Difference” that lard and beef tallow make in popular dishes.

Located 25 miles due south of Richmond, Petersburg is among the good-eating gems of Dinwiddie County.  The hot spots on #FatMap804 include menu items lovingly prepared with lard and/or beef tallow.  The PDRA event is sandwiched between the just-concluded Richmond Restaurant Week, April 22-28, and the upcoming Taste of Richmond, May 18.

At Heritage in Richmond, Chef Joe Sparatta – who studied under Gotham legend Eric Ripert – offers pork “fries,” while BBQ pork rinds are a popular starter at The Roosevelt.  Those with a yen for coq au vin with lardons or bison burger with bourbon bacon jam will find themselves in fat city at Richmond’s Rowland.  Bacon lardons likewise adorn the Le Foushee Burger at Chez Foushee.  And home cooks may want to check out Belmont Butchery, where beef tallow, leaf lard and rendered duck fat are on offer.

“In addition to welcoming an energetic crowd of race fans, Dinwiddie County is a haven of truly memorable Southern cooking,” Gustafson said.  “In terms of freshness, flavor and texture, foods prepared with lard and beef tallow are natural standouts, which is why we’re so delighted when consumers can taste for themselves, as they can in and around Petersburg.  As we recently did in Benson, North Carolina and at each stop along the PDRA circuit this season, we’ll share FatMaps showing that healthy animal fats are just about everywhere, and that consumers don’t need to go far to find places where they can let their palates make the call.”

Have a favorite restaurant that puts lard or beef tallow on the menu (or just in some of its prize dishes)?  If so, drop Coast an email at info@coastpacking.com and the company will put it on the #FatMap.  Consumers can also post an image or link to via Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest, etc., with the hashtag #LardOnTheMenu or #TallowOnTheMenu. 

About Coast Packing Company

Now marking its 100th year in business, Coast Packing Company (www.coastpacking.com), a closely held corporation, is the number one supplier of animal fat shortenings – particularly lard and beef tallow — in the Western United States. The company sells to major manufacturers, distributors, retailers, smaller food service operations and leading bakeries. The company participates actively in diverse ethnic markets – from Hispanic retail chains, with its VIVA brand, to various Asian specialty markets. Based in Vernon, Calif., Coast Packing Company is regional, national and, increasingly, global. In some cases, supplier relationships are multigenerational, extending back 50 years and more. Coast is a founding member of the Healthy Fats Coalition (https://www.healthyfatscoalition.org/).

For more information about Coast Packing Company, visit: www.coastpacking.com. Follow us via social media on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coastpackingco, Twitter @coastpackingco and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/coastpackingco.