On Feb 14, 3:02*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Kajikit wrote:
>
> > We don't have any baking powder but I've got a giant container of
> > baking soda/bicarbonate of soda that I bought for cleaning (and then
> > never used!) Is there a way to use baking soda as the raising agent
> > for baking instead of baking powder?
>
> Many years ago, I was probably about 11 or 12,
> my mom got a book from the library on southern
> cooking, and it had a recipe for soda muffins
> which I believe used baking soda as the leavener.
> What I remember more clearly was that it required
> beating the dough with a hammer. *That sounded
> interesting, so I made the recipe, and I sure
> gave that dough a sound beating.
>
> As I recall, the muffins were quite dense.
> I would not count it among my culinary successes.
>
> I believe it was from one of the Time-Life series
> of books. *Great photography, good writing, but
> I'm skeptical whether the editors actually made
> any of the recipes.


I made that recipe years ago. I expected them to be light but they
were like "common crackers" (rocks) from New England. Damn near wore
my arm out. They're called Beaten Biscuits and served with Smithfield
or other country cured hams.

Time Life "Foods of the World" is a wonderful series - out of print
for years, but one can often find single copies in second hand
bookstores and Ebay. The recipes were all tested - many by Michael
Field (RIP). My favorite cookbooks ever: photos by Life and text from
some really great writers - not always food professionals, but
definitely food lovers. For a number of them, the books were the
foods of their childhoods. They read like novels.
Lynn in Fargo
Lynn in Fargo