River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-09

housekeeping Pests.

Complaints are made from various
sections of band of baking powder
tramps whose tricks upon unsuspect-
ing housekeepers seem to partake very
much of the nature OF confidence
operations. The band is com posed
of women, although employed and
directed by an agent of the other sex,
and their methods of procedure, as
explained by several ladies' who have
been victimized, is as follows; Obtain.
ing access TO the kitchen, they in.
trOduce 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
hot stove or over lamp or gas Jet
or in mixing the baking powder with
water both hot and cold. If the bak-
ing powder is good for anything the
heat will, of course, expel the gas,
which, being ammOniacaI or carbonic
is apparent to the sense of smell.
The claim is then made that this odor
indicates something detrimental, al
| though, as a matter of fact, a baking
powder that would give off no gas
when subjected to heat would be with.
| out leavening power and valueless.
They will also mix the baking powder
given them with water. If pure it
efervesces quickly. The baking pow
der they peddle being similarly mixed
foams up slowly like yeast, standing,
perhaps over the top of the glass.
This they claim as evidence of supe-
riority, 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. tits sure evidence
OF adulteration. OF course the object
of these fraudulent tricks is to des-
troy confidence in all other kinds of
baking powder, and to sell the par
ticular brand for which the women
are travelling.
Were this the whole of the opera
ton, 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 given
for testing; or by heating it to drive
off its 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" will
probably get the credit of having told
| the Eousekeeper a valuable fact, in
stead of having spoiled her baking
powder, as was actually the case.
The average tramp" will in this way,
destroy from fifty to seventy five
pounds of baking powder day.
a second method of spelling for
use the baking powder in kitchen
where they are not permitted to ex-
pertinent with it, is by dexterously
throwing in the can a small quantity
of salt, soda or powdered lime. Again
should there chance to be no baking
powder in the house, the operator
will produce, of the kind used by the
family, sample that has been pur-
posely adulterated or ''doctored" to
make such an exhibit as they desire
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
uneeremoniously from the door, and
to use those articles, only, whidh ex-
perience has proved satisfactory, or
the official test have established as
pure and wholesor 9.