Merryb wrote:
> Dave Bell wrote:
>
>>Dee Randall wrote:
>>
>>>"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
>>
>>Actuall;y, I think I mis-spoke - perhaos Roy / Chembake will step in and
>>correct me - I think it's the bicarbonate component, not the acid
>>component. Some use Ammonium Bicarbonate, I believe, and probably
>>Tartaric Acid...
>>
>>Dave
>
> I believe cream of tartar and tartaric acid are not the same thing,
> correct??
>
True - cream of tartar is potassium hydrogen tartrate, which hydrolyzes
to release tartaric acid in solution, I believe...

Dave