The Portland daily press., 1888-05-22

iiar virtues of good baking powder over
other and more old-fashioned methods OF
raising bread, biscuit and cake?''
That would require long answer, some
thing in the nature of lecture. Briefly,
however, the advantage of the Royal baking
powder over yeast consists in the quicker
work it accomplishes, in the preservation of
some of the best elements of the flour, which
are destroyed in the production of the car
bonic acid gas by the use of yeast, and in the
absolute certainty of sweet, light and digesti-
BILE food Over other methods for quick rails
ing, the merits of pure baking powder are
great. 1t is always ready for use, the acid
and alkali 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 tar
tar and soda are bought separately and mix
ed in 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 unwhele-
some. Besides, the cream of tartar whit b
can be procured by the housekeeper is most
ly adulterated, adding to the uncertainty of
the results or the EMBELLISHMENTS of the
food All these difficulties are avoided in
the use of pure, properly-made baking
powder"
"Will baking powders keep? How long
will they hold their strength?"
IF properly made, until used. A perfect
baking powder must combine superlative
strength with power to retain it indefinitely.
Baking powders generally are robbed of
the necessary preserving agent in order to
give present strength, sor else have their eff
cheney largely destroyed by the addition Of
large quantities of flour to prevent prema-
ture decomposition. The method by which
both these qualities are retained in the high
est degree produces the perfect article, and
this believe is fully accomplished in the
Royal baking powder
"Doctor, what about ammonia in baking
POWDER"
Carbonate of Ammonia is sometimes used
in the highest class of baking powders"
SIS it injurious or objectionable?"
Nonsense! Quite the contrary 1t has
been used for generations in the finest food.
1t is very volatile agent. Heat entirely
evolves it into gas. leaving no residuum.
Were it used in sufficient quantity to do the
entire work of aeration, l 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 universally admitted
to be wholesome and valuable agent, and
no chemist of reputation will class it 9TH
erwise have become indignant when l
have read the silly charges that have fire.
quently been made through ignorance or
otherwise against it"
"Then those manufacturers who advertise
that their powder does not contain it,"
Confess that their powder lacks a most
useful, wholesome and excellent ingredi-
ent."
But they say its origin is filthy"
Its origin and method of preparation are
no more filthy than are the origin and prepa-
ration of bread. All this talk about ammo
MIA in baking powder and its filthy origin is
the veriest rubbish. A man disgraces him.
self when he lends himself to any such state
ments. 1t is particularly unfair for baking
powder manufacturers to seek to pervert the
| truth, or prejudice the ignorant or unwary
| by statements that it is either harmful or
dirty Ammonia exists in the very air we
breathe, and is largely present in nature as q
wholesome substance"