SC - non-member submission - daughter said with all the authority of Julia child that I should add a

[Michael F. Gunter]

> > daughter said with all the authority of Julia child that I should
add a
> > pinch of baking powder as it would make the crust more tender.  Has
anyone
> > ever heard of that?

>Nope. But my mom sometimes adds a little cream of tartar for the same
>reason. Is the goal a slight rise to the dough?
>
>'Lainie


Cream of Tartar is tartaric acid.  It would have the same tenderizing
effect, in all liklihood, as the lemon
juice or vinegar.  Cream of tartar is also added to egg whites to
increase volumn by denaturing the proteins,
making them easier to recombine in strands that will trap the air.

niccolo difrancesco
(it's also one of the acids in acid blend sold for brewing and vintning)