During the development of Mortal Kombat, one of the game designers suggested that Dan use it in the game. Toasty is also the name of Scorpion's most famous Fatality. In Mortal Kombat II, a specialized Toasty Fatality can make Dan Forden say Toasty! after the Fatality with a text appearing that reads Toasty!.
Lard is animal (pig) fat, and shortening is vegetable fat. Lard is not used much anymore because it is very high in saturated fat. It is great for pie crust--makes a very flaky crust. I don't think I would use it for icing--it can have a distinct flavor of its own.
Shortening is 100 percent fat, meaning there is no water in it and no steam is created during baking. The lack of water also means that shortening does not increase gluten production, so cookies made with shortening tend to be softer and more tender. Shortening has a higher melting point, so the flour and eggs in the cookies have extra time to set before the shortening melts, resulting in cookies that are taller and not as flat. It has no real distinct flavor, although butter-flavored shortenings are now available.