Hello all,

I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?
--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
> of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
> but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
> don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?
> --
> Jean B.

The 'Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink' says this:

'For the last half of the nineteenth century, cookbooks called for both
baking soda and cream of tartar in baking and by the 1850s, occasionally
referred to "yeast powders" (baking soda and cream of tartar wrapped
separately but sold together), an early form of bakig powder.'

So it's a form of baking powder. Makes sense, cos baker's yeast was
normally in a fresh form back then, rather than a dried powder.

Arri London wrote:
>
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
>> of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
>> but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
>> don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?
>> --
>> Jean B.
>
> The 'Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink' says this:
>
> 'For the last half of the nineteenth century, cookbooks called for both
> baking soda and cream of tartar in baking and by the 1850s, occasionally
> referred to "yeast powders" (baking soda and cream of tartar wrapped
> separately but sold together), an early form of bakig powder.'
>
> So it's a form of baking powder. Makes sense, cos baker's yeast was
> normally in a fresh form back then, rather than a dried powder.

Thanks, Arri! Gee, I thought about looking in that and then
thought it was too obscure. That will teach me!

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Arri London wrote:
> >
> > "Jean B." wrote:
> >> Hello all,
> >>
> >> I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
> >> of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
> >> but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
> >> don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?
> >> --
> >> Jean B.
> >
> > The 'Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink' says this:
> >
> > 'For the last half of the nineteenth century, cookbooks called for both
> > baking soda and cream of tartar in baking and by the 1850s, occasionally
> > referred to "yeast powders" (baking soda and cream of tartar wrapped
> > separately but sold together), an early form of baking powder.'
> >
> > So it's a form of baking powder. Makes sense, cos baker's yeast was
> > normally in a fresh form back then, rather than a dried powder.
>
> Thanks, Arri! Gee, I thought about looking in that and then
> thought it was too obscure. That will teach me!
>
> --
> Jean B.

YVW...it is indeed obscure at times but still full of useful
information. I should know...have some articles in there But Oxford
only gave us the 'concise' version for free :P

Arri London wrote:
>
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> Arri London wrote:
>>> "Jean B." wrote:
>>>> Hello all,
>>>>
>>>> I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
>>>> of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
>>>> but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
>>>> don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?
>>>> --
>>>> Jean B.
>>> The 'Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink' says this:
>>>
>>> 'For the last half of the nineteenth century, cookbooks called for both
>>> baking soda and cream of tartar in baking and by the 1850s, occasionally
>>> referred to "yeast powders" (baking soda and cream of tartar wrapped
>>> separately but sold together), an early form of baking powder.'
>>>
>>> So it's a form of baking powder. Makes sense, cos baker's yeast was
>>> normally in a fresh form back then, rather than a dried powder.
>> Thanks, Arri! Gee, I thought about looking in that and then
>> thought it was too obscure. That will teach me!
>>
>> --
>> Jean B.
>
> YVW...it is indeed obscure at times but still full of useful
> information. I should know...have some articles in there But Oxford
> only gave us the 'concise' version for free :P

I have the whole thing. I am wondering, again, who you are....

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> Arri London wrote:
> >
> > "Jean B." wrote:
> >> Arri London wrote:
> >>> "Jean B." wrote:
> >>>> Hello all,
> >>>>
> >>>> I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
> >>>> of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
> >>>> but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
> >>>> don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?
> >>>> --
> >>>> Jean B.
> >>> The 'Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink' says this:
> >>>
> >>> 'For the last half of the nineteenth century, cookbooks called for both
> >>> baking soda and cream of tartar in baking and by the 1850s, occasionally
> >>> referred to "yeast powders" (baking soda and cream of tartar wrapped
> >>> separately but sold together), an early form of baking powder.'
> >>>
> >>> So it's a form of baking powder. Makes sense, cos baker's yeast was
> >>> normally in a fresh form back then, rather than a dried powder.
> >> Thanks, Arri! Gee, I thought about looking in that and then
> >> thought it was too obscure. That will teach me!
> >>
> >> --
> >> Jean B.
> >
> > YVW...it is indeed obscure at times but still full of useful
> > information. I should know...have some articles in there But Oxford
> > only gave us the 'concise' version for free :P
>
> I have the whole thing. I am wondering, again, who you are....
>
> --
> Jean B.

Lucky you!

LOL that is a state secret! If I told you, there would be dire
consequences...

Hello "Jean B." & all;

Although I've been a dyed-in-the-wool sourdough baker for a long, long
time; I do "stray" occasionally and use baking powder. Sourdough cornbread
just doesn't do it for me...(;-o)!

To that end, when I was researching for ways to avoid the aluminum salts so
commonly used in commercial baking powders, I seem to recall stumbling
across a recipe for baking powder. IIRC; they called it: "Boston Yeast".

Making your own baking powder, or "Boston Yeast", is both simple and easy.
I use:
1-part Saleratus (the old fashioned name for plain, old baking soda), the
active gas producing ingredient

2-parts cream of tartar, the acid for the gas-producing reaction

2-parts arrowroot starch, a starch filler to provide volume so that 1:1
measurement consistency is maintained to "modern" baking powder recipes.
(you could use ordinary corn starch as well...it just doesn't "finish" as
well)

You can read about it he
http://www.innerlodge.com/Recipes/Ti...kingPowder.htm

It's so dreadfully easy to make and use, that I haven't bought any baking
powder in years.

HTH,
Dusty da baker
** NB: You can now buy commercial baking powders that no longer have
aluminum in them.

Jean B. wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have been transcribing some old recipes and see a few mentions
> of Boston Yeast Powder. At first, I thought this was a dry yeast,
> but now I am wondering whether it was actually baking powder. I
> don't suppose anyone here knows what it was?

--
So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who
wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and
will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and
otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men - Voltaire

BakerBoy wrote:
> Hello "Jean B." & all;
>
> Although I've been a dyed-in-the-wool sourdough baker for a long, long
> time; I do "stray" occasionally and use baking powder. Sourdough cornbread
> just doesn't do it for me...(;-o)!
>
> To that end, when I was researching for ways to avoid the aluminum salts so
> commonly used in commercial baking powders, I seem to recall stumbling
> across a recipe for baking powder. IIRC; they called it: "Boston Yeast".
>
> Making your own baking powder, or "Boston Yeast", is both simple and easy.
> I use:
> 1-part Saleratus (the old fashioned name for plain, old baking soda), the
> active gas producing ingredient
>
> 2-parts cream of tartar, the acid for the gas-producing reaction
>
> 2-parts arrowroot starch, a starch filler to provide volume so that 1:1
> measurement consistency is maintained to "modern" baking powder recipes.
> (you could use ordinary corn starch as well...it just doesn't "finish" as
> well)
>
> You can read about it he
> http://www.innerlodge.com/Recipes/Ti...kingPowder.htm
>
> It's so dreadfully easy to make and use, that I haven't bought any baking
> powder in years.
>
> HTH,
> Dusty da baker
> ** NB: You can now buy commercial baking powders that no longer have
> aluminum in them.

Thank you, Dusty. I'll save that for future experimentation!
--
Jean B.