[Sca-cooks] Another leavening agent was Baker of Bagels in the 11th C

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Mar 31, 2009, at 7:34 PM, Terry Decker wrote:

>> I understand borax is sometimes used in small amounts in hand- 
>> pulled noodles in China, and I think it may appear in some of the  
>> wheat-dough recipes for mantou in "A Soup for the Qan," although I  
>> could be remembering that last part incorrectly.
>>
>> I believe it's roughly akin to baking soda in pH, and it can be  
>> used industrially as an antifungal, so one possibility is as a  
>> yeast inhibitor, but for all I know it could have something to do  
>> with  gluten extensibility, hence its use in pulled noodles.
>>
>> If that's the case, I could see it appearing in bagels for a  
>> lighter, more elastic dough.
>>
>> Bear? Tag, you're it.
>>
>> Adamantius
>
> Already tagged in and I see memory failed on remembering A Soup for  
> the Qan.

And, of course, I now can't find a single word in reference to it in  
ASftQ. Probably sometimes next year I'll find it in Ni Tsan or in a  
footnote. Generally my memory loses or misplaces things, but almost  
never manufactures something I haven't actually seen. Of course,  
there's always a first time.

Adamantius






"Most men worry about their own bellies, and other people's souls,  
when we all ought to worry about our own souls, and other people's  
bellies."
			-- Rabbi Israel Salanter