"The Cook" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:18:50 -0500, yetanotherBob
> > wrote:
>
>>Unless you're on a tight budget, I would bite the bullet and buy fresh
>>leaveners for important stuff that you probably don't want to be less
>>than perfect. Sure, there's some waste-not-want-not and/or tightwad
>>satisfaction to be had from using elderly ingredients, but is it worth
>>the risk? (Not that we're talking life and death here, to be sure...)
>>
>>Bob
>>============================
>>In article >,
says...
>>> I apologize if this has been discussed before. I only recently joined
>>> this newsgroup.
>>>
>>> How does one tell whether their
>>> cream of tartar
>>> baking soda
>>> and baking powder
>>> are still fresh? Is there a test you can do? We're about to get ready
>>> to bake Christmas cookies, and I don't want things to come out flat if
>>> my ingredients aren't working properly.
>>>
>>> Thank you for any insight,
>>> Bobbett
>>>
>
>
> I agree with Bob. Baking soda stays good forever (at least I hope so
> judging by the amount I have.) I do not know about Cream of Tartar,
> but the can of baking powder I just bought has an expiration date of
> Feb. 2008. I always buy fresh baking powder in November for my
> Christmas baking. It might be ok, but it is just about the cheapest
> ingredient so why take chances.
> --
> Susan N.
>

This is what Penzey's says on it's site
Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar is used to stabilize delicate foods like meringue toppings
and other baked egg white products. Natural tartaric acid. From France.

I have on hand several bottles of tartaric acid; none of which has a 'use
by' date. (I use it for cheesemaking.)
Dee