St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-08
housekeeping Pests.

Complaints are made from various Sec
lions of a band of baking powder trampS
whose tricks upon unSuSpecting hOusekeep-
erS seem to partake very much of the ma
ture of confidence operations. The band is
composed of weinep, although employed
and directed by an agent of the other sex,
and their methods of procedure, as eX-
planned by several ladies who have been
victimized, is as follows: Obtaining access
to the kitchen they introduce the subject of
baking powders, inquiring the kind used in
the family. Being shown the can, perhaps
fresh, full one. they volunteer to test" it
to ascertain its qualities. Their test
consists in placing the can on a hot stove
or over lamp or gas jet, or in mixing the
baking powder with water. both hot and
cold. If the baking powder is good for
anything the heat will, of course, eXpel the
gas, which, being ammOniacal or carbonic,
is apparent to the sense of smell. The
claim is then made that this odOr indicates
something detrimental, although. as mat
ter of fact, baking powder that would
give of no gas when subjected to heat
would be without leavening power and val
ueless. They will also mix the baking
powder given them with water. If pure it
effervesces quickly. The baking powder
they peddle being similarly mixed foamS up
slowly like yeast, standing, perhaps, over
the top of the glass. This they claim as
evidence of superiority, whereas it is the
exhibition of trick only, their baking
powder having been specially prepared to
make this test by the addition of flour, gum
or albumen. 1t is sure evidence of adul-
teration. Of course the object of these
fraudulent tricks is to destroy confidence in
oil oil NJ hot
sell the particular brand for which the
women are travelling.
Were this the whole of the operation,
housekeepers would not often be deceived.
Every intelligent person knows that baking
powder is not made to be used in this way,
but in cooking where its action is entirely
different from that produced by dry heat or
by mixture with water alone. The chief
object Of this jugglery is to destroy the
baking powder giving for testing; or by
heating it to drive off it's leavening gases,
and SO weaken it that when used it will
fail to work. At the next baking there is
heavy food of course, and the tramp
probably gets the credit of having told the
houSekeeper valuable fact, instead of
having spoiled her baking powder, as was
actually the case. The average tramp
| will, in this way destroy from fifty to sew
ty-tive pounds of baking powder day.
A second method of spelling for use the
baking powder in kitchen where they are
permitted to experiment with it, is by dex-
terouslY throwing in the can small guam
tity of salt, soda or powdered lime. Again,
should there chance to be no baking powder
In the house, the operators will produce, of
the kind used by the family, a sample that
has been purposely adulterated or ''doc-
tored' to make such an exhibit as they de-
sire under the So called test.
The only way to protect our food from
being contaminated by tramps of this kind
is to turn all persons who wish or attempt
to tamper with it unceremoniously from the
door, and to use those articles, only, which
experience has proved satisfactory, or the
official tests have established as pure and
wholesome.