The Press., 1883-11-08

THE CooK's DnEAaMA.-''Two teaspoonfuls af cream of tartar and one of soda to quart of four' was formerly the standing direction in every kitchen for making light biscuit, cake etc. It has been found of late that the old rule won't work, double this quantity of cream of tartar being frequently required to produce the former result, and even ,hen, owing tc the great variation in strength of the best cream of tartar that can be purchased at the stores, uniform results can no longer be de- pended upon in it's use.
 The cause of this inferiority of modern cream of tartar is explained by the Massachu- setts state board of health, and also by the New York state board of health, which, in a recent examination of 27 samples of cream of tartar, claimed by dealers to be of the best quality, found them adulterated with alum, terra alba, phosphate of calcium, etc., from to 93 per cent. Five samples were adulterated with terra alba to such an extent that they were really terra alba with little cream of tartar added. In the soda examined, from IT per cent. of carbonate of lime to 25 per cent. o ground gypsum were found, Of course it is impossible to produce light or wholesome bread with such stuff as this for leavening material, and the best cooks, if relying upon it's use, must frequently fail in their work. The old formula, therefore, no longer to be relied upon, must give way to new methods.
 science, fortunately, comes to the aid of the cook in this dilemma with the ever ready baking powder; but here again the greatest care is necessary in selecting a baking pow der, to avoid one that may not only spoil the work of the cook but will make the cookery produced an instrument of danger to the health, Most of the baking powders and bread preparations of the market are made either from the very cream of tartar above de- ssribed, from alum, which is poison, or from phosphates derived by disgusting processes from the solution of old bones in sulphuric acid, and hence their use is attended with the same inconvenience and dangerous results that follow the use of adulterated cream of tartar. The only way to overcome these diff fculties would seem to be in the selection of Ia baking powder of thoroughly well estab- lished reputation, whose absolute purity, wholesomeness, and effective power as a leav- ening agent have been confirmed beyond con- trayention. The Royal Baking Powder meets this want more nearly than any other, and has been Recommended by the government chemist as the most acceptable and perfect substitute for the old-fashioned cream of tar tar and soda. It is undoubtedly pure, and it's merits have given it a sale probably equaling that of all other baking powders combined. Its manufacturers have an advantage over all others in possessing .e faejlitlas f9E ahtaiaing pure MateMAls. IAeF FeA4e tnelr cream or tartar direct from the imported crude grape acid by means of patented processes, exclu- sively their own, by which the cream of tar tar is rendered absolutely pure and uniform in strength. In addition to this, they employ g number of expert chemists who thoroughly test every pound of ingredient Nsed, and ad- nit no material into the Royal Baking Pow der compound until they have demonstrated it chemically pure. As a consequence, the action of this powder is always uniform, as well as Qf the hiaAesS aAgEea us bower, and naSssx faals' produce light, sweeb, VI ulIeesuane and palaSable bread, biscuit or cale. With it's universal market, and the great magnitude of it's sales, this company finds it to it's infer ests to adopt these extraordinary methods, which no baking powdef: maker ra whose market ta limited to ssngle sta6e or locality can af- g&rd.