this is a two-part query:

first, why is the grease that folks sometimes use to make pancakes, cakes and such called "shortening"? wouldn't it be more descriptive to call it "widening"? ;-)

secondly, is shortening still a gerund even though it's a tangible thing (aren't most gerunds simply descriptions of verbs, eg swimming, running, eating, etc?)?

it seems there are several cooking-related terms that follow this unusual gerund format, such as seasoning, leavening, and... um, i'm sure there are more, but i can't think of any. i mean, i do understand that (for example) seasoning is a gerund of the infinitive 'to season', but it's more than simply the description of the process; it's an actual substance. would that be like a concrete gerund or something?