I picked up a copy of Baking 9-1-1 by Sarah Phillips,
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...id=1126808676/
sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-8697222-1580023?v=glance&s=books>

and came across a statement that piqued my interest. In her recipe for
sugar cookies, she writes "most cookies use baking powder for leavening;
I chose to use baking soda. It causes the cookies to spread rather than
puff, perfect for a crispy cookie, and have a wonderful buttery flavor
you can't get with baking powder."

The ingredients a unbleached AP flour, baking soda (1/2 tsp), baking
powder (1/4 tsp), salt, unsalted butter, sugar, an egg, vanilla extract,
and an optional 1/2 tsp lemon extract.

First, what could the acid be? What would interact with the baking soda?
If nothing, why add baking soda? Second, it DOES have baking powder,
too, so what's she talking about about choosing to use baking soda? I
know that some recipes use both, but (a), baking soda is often used to
also neutralize an acid, and (b) she seems to imply she was substituting
one for the other. OK, maybe that's a nitpick. Third, by saying that
baking soda makes the cookies spread rather than puff, doesn't that mean
it ISN'T a leavening agent here? And finally, how on earth would baking
soda add "a wonderful buttery flavor"???

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