[Sca-cooks] Bakers borax again
Terry Decker
t.d.decker at att.net
Sun Aug 19 07:47:09 PDT 2012
E.J. Brill's First Encyclopedia of Islam 1913-1936, list several other types
of "borax." Obviously, borax is being used as a generic name for a number
of naturally occurring compounds rather than as a specific mineral, sodium
borate. The translator is correct, as far as the translator goes.
As for natron, the primary constituent is soda ash, sodium carbonate, which
is a natural water softener. There are modern bread recipes which call for
both yeast and buraq, suggesting to me that it may be the water softening
properties that are desired. As a generalization, soft water makes better
bread. At 17 percent, you would need roughly 2 Tablespoons of natron to get
1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, so again I would think that the intent was
to soften the water with the added benefit of a little chemical leavening.
Bear
> I've been reading al-Warraq and am still puzzled over the borax question.
>
> According to the author and the translator, there are two kinds of borax:
> Natron and baker's borax (aka Armenian borax). The latter is used in food,
> both to make a glossy surface on bread and, apparently, as a leavening!
> The translator says that it is sodium borate, which is what is now called
> borax--and never explains the chemical difference between the two kinds,
> although she does describe their differing appearance.
>
> But according to Wikipedia, natron doesn't have any boron in it. It's a
> mixture of sodium carbonate decahydrate and about 17% sodium
> bicarbonate--aka baking soda. Which suggests that perhaps bakers' borax is
> baking soda, or some natural mineral that consists largely of baking soda.
>
> In which case we not only have a period chemical leavening, we have period
> baking soda!
>
>
>
> -- David Friedman
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