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

[Terry Decker]

> 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.

Bear