Crisco was pretty popular at one point in the US but AFAIK it's receded quite a bit. I don't do a lot of baking but I don't really see it in recipes these days. And lard is still not in mainstream use at all.
I bought some lard at Safeway just last week. It can be had, but it's usually in the dustiest, lowest, most-hidden shelf in the baking aisle.
It's excellent for deep frying, and economical because it can be used over and over and the flavor only improves. (Unless you burn something.)
Find a Mexican grocery or butcher. They often have fresh lard as a result of making carnitas. It’s so much better. For cooking you can also save bacon grease or render chicken fat and skin (which also gives you tasty chicken cracklings).
Natural animal fats as well as making stock are great ways to level up your cooking game.
Lately I've been boiling up cheap bones and offcuts. You get a few L of stock and a few hundred mL of fat – enough to last the week unless you're deep frying.
I bought some lard at Safeway just last week. It can be had, but it's usually in the dustiest, lowest, most-hidden shelf in the baking aisle.
It's excellent for deep frying, and economical because it can be used over and over and the flavor only improves. (Unless you burn something.)