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