The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-12-10

4
credit the report some time ago pub
lished in the Journal with reference
to baking powders, for which the ana
lytical examinations were made by
yourself and Prof. Mason. Were your
analysis and opinion printed cor
rectly -
They were," replied Prof. Tucker,
literally"
as there any part of the report, or
Of your views expressed therein, that
you would modify"
"Not word. My examination was
most carefully and accurately made;
the deductions drew from the tests
were the inevitable ones, and the opin-
ions expressed were unquestionsbly
correct"
"You say, Doctor, that the Royal
baking po ~der is superior to any other
ined 7"
THAT is my report"
"Have you examined many other
baking powders :"
"Quite number"
"Wherein, Doctor, consists this su-
periority which you find in the Royal
over other brands I"
"As stated in my report, in the great
purity of its ingredients, in the un.
questioned propriety and wholesome
ness of those Ingredients, in the exact
proportions of the same, and the chem
ical accuracy and skill with which they
have been combined. As l said be-
fore, it is, believe, baking powder
'unequaled for purity, strength and
wbelesomeness.
"Doctor, the Journals lady readers
would like you TO inform them what
are the peculiar virtues of good bak-
ing powder over other and more old
fashioned methods of raising bread,
biscuit and cake =
"That would require long answer,
something in the nature of lecture.
Briefly, however, the advantage of
soch baking powder over yeast con
sists in the quicker work it accom-
plishes, in the preservation of some of
the best elements of the flour which
are destroyed in the production of the
carbouic acid gas by the use of yeas,
and in the absolute certainty of sweet,
light and digestible food. Over other
methods for quick raising, the merits
of pure baking powder are great. 1t lie
always ready for use, the acid and al
kali are combined in exact proportions
to produce definite results, or to render
the largest amount of leavening gas
and leave nothing more than a neutral
residuum, which is not the result where
cream of tartar and soda are bought
separately and mixed iD the kitchen,
for it will always occur where this is
done that one or the other of these
substances will predominant, making
the food yellow, heavy, bitter and un-
wholesome. Besides, the cream of
tartar which can be procured by the
housekeeper is mostly adulterated, add
ing to the uncertainty of the results or
the unwholesomeness of the food. All
these difficulties are avoided in the
use Of pure, properly-made baking
powder"
"Will baking powders kept How
long will they hold their strength 7"
''lf properly made, until used. A
perfect baking powder must combine
superlative strength with power to re-
tain it Indefinitely. Baking powders
generally are robbed of the necessary
preserving agent in order to give pres
ent strength. or else have their effic-
iency largely destroyed by the addition
of large quantities of -four 10 prevent
premature decomposition. The method
by which both these qualities are re.
tained in the highest degree produces
the perfect article, and this I believe is
fully accomplished in the Royal bak-
ing powder. have seen an analysis of
baking powder which showed 2l per
cent. of Rochelle salts. The baking
powder was not fresh, and because of
the improper manner in which it had
been made the ingredients had CON-
bined, forming the purgative salt. l
give this as an illustration of those
baking powders whose keeping quail
ties are sacrificed to present strength.
How to get both strength and keeping
quality is the secret of baking powder
success
"Doctor, what about ammonia in
baking powders 7"
"Sesqui-carbonate of ammonia is
sometimes used in the higher class of
baking powders"
SIS it injurious or Objectionable =
"NoDstnse ! Quite the contrary. 1t
has been used for generations in the
fines. food. 1t is very volatile agent.
Heat entirely evolves it into gas, leav-
ing no residuum. Were it used in suf-
ficient quantity to do the entire work
of aeration, am inclined to believe it
would be the acme of leavening agents.
Some of the highest authorities, as
Hassall, recommend its exclusive use
for this purpose in preference to yeast
or other kinds of leaven. 1t is uni
versally admitted to he wholesome
and valuable agent, and no chemist of
reputation will class it otherwise. /
have become indignant when have
read the silly charges that have fire.
quently been made through ignorance
or otherwise against it.
"Then those manufacturers who ad-
pvertse that their powder does not con-
tain it,
'Confess that their powder lacks
most useful, wholesome and excellent
ingredient"
'But they say its origin is filthyi"
sits origin and method of prepara-
tion are no more filthy than are the
origin and preparation of bread. All
this talk about ammonia in baking
powder aud its filthy origin is the veri-
est rubbish. A man 1isgraces himself
when ),e lends himself TO any such
statements. 1t is particularly unfair
for baking powder manufacturers to
seek to pervert the truth, or prejudice
the Ignorant OF unwary by statements
that it is either harmful or dirty. Am
monia exists in the very air we breathe,
and is largely present in nature as a
wholesome substance"