Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-10


| Suggestions About the Use Of Soda, Cream
of Tartar and Baking Powden.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
lam an ardent admirer and eager reader Of
your valuable paper, from which CLEAN many
q bit Of knowledge 70 store up in my memory
for future use, but more especially interesting
Gas am young housewife) is the ably edited
| column Of Household Hints. which has helped
| to smooth out more than one wrinkle in the
domestic weaving of life machinery. there
fore venture TO ask If you win not add to your
useful stock Of timely hints one for the use OF
soda and cream tartar in leavening bread or
cake. So much has been said Of late regarding
the adulteration Of baking power by ammonia
that it makes one fearful of going through life,
after indulgins in unlimited quantities served
up in hot biscuit, cakes, &C., and fly as q last
resort TO the "old-fashioned" soda and tartar
with desire that would be saved" Fear
full Of the wrath to come from three hungry
which shah manifest itself in yellow streaks.
humbly ask for the desired information as ex-
pressed above. Very respectfully, MRs. D.,
1919 street northwest, Washington, D. G.
This is momentous question, and one not con-
fined to the the perplexities Of housekeeping
it is one the government itself has had occasion
TO wrestie with. A hue and cry has been raised
time and again about adulterated baking pow
ders the tricks of bakers to make their bread
nice and white and -four ''doctored' with alum,
and not altogether without reason; yet there is
great deal Of nonsense written and said upon
the subject. great many persons are de-
TERED from using a perfectly pure brand Of
baking powder by the enormous amount of
talk about the deleterious substances in UNI
mistakably bad compounds sold as pure and
safe articles. When it comes down to solid
fo<.% h< u r. e -
soda and cream Of tartar is open to as serious
allegations of danger a. the modern baking
powders. There is really no necessity of bus
cults being streaked with soda. A pure cream
Of tartar powder will give them the same affect
~ cream of tartar and soda.
BREAD OWES IT'S DIaKsrrBnIrY
to its sweetness, sponginess and lightness The
lightness is given by the incorporation of car
bonic acid gas, which is either generated by
fermentation within the mass, a. by yeast, or
by the introduction of baking powder or soda,
or soda and cream Of tartar, DC. Tho best
flavor is doubtless secured by yeast, but warm
yeast bread is certainly said to be less digesti-
BILE than warm baking powder bread, provided
the powder is pure, and there are some that are
as nearly SO as can be, or not sufficiently impure
to be dangerous. Reverting to the old way of
using soda lavishly is occasioned largely by a
fear OF impurity In baking powders. The dan
ger OF baking powder is the alum used as one
OF its component parts, and when alum is used
ammonia is pretty sure to be used also. The
nine out Of ten persons will select bakers bread
because of its wilderness, which is not safe
rule at all, for bread is not intended to be per-
fectly white by nature. Ammonia powders are
more largely sold in this country IT, n any other
KIND, because ammonia gives the bread a light
and somewhat haky appearance, but this is un-
healthy, especially if used any length of time.
BREAD MADE YBoM BAKING POWDERS
containing either alum or ammonia or both
will dry quickly and lose its sweetness, but
made from baking powder free from either it
is as good, digestible and healthy as need be,
and will hold its sponginess and firmness for
some time after becoming stale. 1t is easy to
avoid oil baking powders containing alum, am
monia and kindred substances therefore many
compilers of cook books recommend their use
No matter, however, how pure and acceptable
baking powders may be made, there are those
who will use soda, cream of tartar and salera &
instead and do So too. without danger of streaks
In the bread or biscuits or fear Of the wrath to
come from hungry mouths.
THE DETECTION OF ALUM OR AMMONIA
in any appreciable quantity in a baking pow
der is not difficult and can be accomplished by
a very simple test. Take two teaspoonfuls of
baking powder to two tablespoonfuls of cold
water and stir well and stand aside for a mo-
ment or two, and if alum is present it will
surely form a residue in the bottom easily no.
ticeable. The great majority of powders con-
tain ammonia, and this can be detected by
mixing one heaping teaspOonful of the powder
to two tablespoonfuls Of water placed in q tin
cup. Boil thoroughly few minutes, stirring
continuously to prevent burning. II ammonis
is present the odor can be detected at once in
the rising steam. When the powder and water
come In contact an effervescence will take
place. Do not mistake this for boiling.lr-