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Two Letters Re: DIY Baking Powder Solves a Shelf Life Dilemma
Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the letter "DIY
Baking Powder Solves a Shelf Life Dilemma", Baking soda can
be used alone with any acid, whether powdered -- like what's added to baking powder --
or liquids like buttermilk (the fermented kind, not the leftover liquids from
sweet butter),
yogurt, kefir, sour cream, lemon or lime juice, vinegar.
Since baking powder is made with baking soda,
I didn't understand why some people claim they don't like the [alkaline] baking soda taste.
But then I found
this
on the Ellen's Kitchen site:
"The problem with baking soda is that it releases the gas all at once!
So if the cake batter sits around for a while before you get it in the oven
or it you beat the batter too much, the leavening will be lost and your baked
goods will be flat. You don't want to add too much either, because the taste
is rather salty and you'd have to add more acid too. If you don't have enough
acid to react with the baking soda [then] you won't release the gas, plus
your cake or muffins will have a bitter or soapy taste because of the unreacted
bicarbonate."
Since I live in a humid area, I store mine in a Mason jar that's been put
into a vacuum device similar to this
one at the Instructables site. [JWR Adds: A jar lid
ar adapter can be used with a Food Saver vacuum sealer, to the same effect.]
Thanks for your info, - Shreela
JWR,
The recent discussion of baking powder prompted me to remember a book I inherited
from my Father titled "War-Time
Guidebook for the Home" published by the Popular Science publishing
company.
This out-of-print book is in in my opinion is second only to the Bible as the
next most necessary book a citizen devoted to serious preparedness needs to have
available, rating even higher than the Foxfire series.
Though some formulae in the first part of the book are archaic, many are virtually
lost to "modern" society and relevant if or when the supply chain most
rely on collapses, including how to make glues, cosmetics, poultices, beverages,
etching compounds, cements, medicines, etc.
The second part of the book is a general fix-it guide for the home and farm and
covers woodworking, plumbing, painting, electrical, heating, furniture and is
a how to guide to "make do or do without" Thank you for your helpful
web site. - E.C., Whitefish, Montana
