[Sca-cooks] Re: spirits of hartshorn

[UlfR]

Devra at aol.com <Devra at aol.com> [2004.02.08] wrote:
> I don't know about 'spirits of hartshorn', but hartshorn is used as a
> leaven in some Scandanavian baking...  

True.

> I believe that it's ammonium carbonate, just as baking soda/powder is
> sodium carbonate.  

Looking at the pouch from my pantry (inflated like a balloon, must be
some moisture in there) it claims that it is E503, which a quick google
claims is ammonium bicarbonate. It also claims synthetic manufacture, in
case that is of any interest.

> Hartshorn and water was a popular fainting ladies' remedy in the
> Regency, too, wasn't it?  Kinda like alka seltzer?

You should get ammonia (gas) when adding water to the ammonium
bicarbonate. I suppose it is more socially acceptable than cracking a
vial of beta-mercaptoethanol, which *also* would tend to wake someone up.

UlfR

-- 
UlfR Ketilson                               ulfr at hunter-gatherer.org
Software is getting slower faster than the hardware is getting faster