# a piece of culinary history that i didnt know about -the baking powder war **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586 "2018-12-05T05:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/1 "2018-12-05T05:10:30Z")
while looking for an out of print recipie made by calumet baking powder company I found this …… > **[Made-in-Chicago Museum - An Industrial History in Everyday Objects: 1900-1970](https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/single-post/2016/1/22/Calumet-Baking-Powder-Tin-by-Calumet-Baking-Powder-Co-1908/)** > > An Industrial History in Everyday Objects: 1900-1970 apparently there was a “war” for 80 years between calumet that used a totally different formula from traditional baking powder companies and they fought back with tricks employed that would make Rockefeller and standard oil proud……… just thought some would find it interesting… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/2 "2018-12-05T07:36:07Z")
A great story! I used to do Living History, so I love stuff like this. Thanks for posting it! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/3 "2018-12-05T07:51:08Z")
This rang a vague bell for me. Completely irrelevant factoid: in one episode of “Who Do You Think You Are” over here, one of our most popular TV presenters discovered that a great-grandfather was Joseph Hoagland, the boss of Royal Baking Powder (the baking powder war wasn’t touched on, though, as I recall) ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/4 "2018-12-05T08:52:58Z")
you’re welcome wow… those guys made a fortune I wonder if Vincent price knew his grandpa made baking powder also …… ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/5 "2018-12-05T09:59:46Z")
In a previous life, I sold this product. Thanks for bringing this story to life. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/6 "2018-12-05T13:25:29Z")
_“Is It Malaria, or Is It Alum?”_ You just don’t see that kind of advertising genius anymore. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/7 "2018-12-05T13:44:47Z")
A 5lb can of baking powder? Wow! Most recipes only use a couple teaspoons. A small 8 oz can lasts for years in the cupboard. My mom had a can of Calumet for years. I remember the Indian well. 😉 I’d pretend to shoot at him with my cowboy pistols.vpow, pow! LOL ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/8 "2018-12-05T14:58:12Z")
The five-pound tin surprised me too. But that was at a time when housewives baked every single day, perhaps more than once. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/9 "2018-12-05T15:16:22Z")
A quick check and yep, there’s a can of Calumet in the pantry. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/10 "2018-12-05T15:32:50Z")
It more or less continues to this day, as aluminum-free baking powder is available. From Wiki: > [@](#): > > Baking powders are available both with and without aluminium compounds.[20] Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminium because they believe it gives food a vaguely metallic taste[citation needed] and it is not an essential mineral.[citation needed] Others object because of possible health concerns associated with aluminium intake.[citation needed] In 2015, Cook’s Country, an American TV show and magazine,[18] evaluated six baking powders marketed to consumers. They reported that 30% of their testers (n=21) noted a metallic flavor in cream biscuits made with brands containing aluminium. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/11 "2018-12-05T15:34:11Z")
I’m guessing that a five-pound tin would be used in a professional kitchen, at a restaurant or bakery or the like. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/12 "2018-12-05T15:42:50Z")
I remember in Laurel and Hardy’s _ **Tit for Tat** _, Stan and Ollie ate marshmallows coated (accidentally) with alum. Didn’t look like something I’d want to ingest. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/13 "2018-12-05T16:07:21Z")
We do get exposed to a lot of aluminum. We cook in aluminum pans. Drink from aluminum cans and it’s in our baking powder. Antacids have it. Tea leeches aluminum. > **[Aluminum Levels in Tea | NutritionFacts.org](https://nutritionfacts.org/2016/05/17/aluminum-levels-in-tea/)** > > While aluminum is the third most abundant element on Earth, it may not be good for our brain, something we learned studying foundry workers exposed to Does make me wonder about safety. The Greeks & Romans loved their lead lined cups and pots. Made the wine so sweet. That didn’t work out to well. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/14 "2018-12-05T16:07:53Z")
But you wouldn’t be ingesting any alum, from alum-containing baking powder, just like you also wouldn’t be ingesting any sodium bicarbonate. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/15 "2018-12-05T16:13:47Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I remember in Laurel and Hardy’s _ **Tit for Tat** _, Stan and Ollie ate marshmallows coated (accidentally) with alum. Didn’t look like something I’d want to ingest. :dubious: Revision: I just watched the film on YouTube. The marshmallows were \*deliberately \*coated with alum! :eek: I think Rolaids have aluminum in them, but I find Tums are much gentler on my stomach. :o ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/16 "2018-12-05T16:31:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m guessing that a five-pound tin would be used in a professional kitchen, at a restaurant or bakery or the like. Perhaps. But people at out much less frequently then. They also ate far less store-bought food than we do now. So it’s possible the five-pound tin was for the home kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/17 "2018-12-05T17:15:14Z")
1 tablespoon of baking powder clocks in at 0.03 lbs. So a 5 lb. tin will give you 160-170 tablespoons of powder. Baking once or twice a day means that tin will easily be gone in 6 months. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/18 "2018-12-05T19:30:52Z")
To which axis of Baking Power evil does Clabber Girl belong? or are they their own third leg of a three-way power struggle? PS I just bought me a Calumet Reliable Recipes book from ebay. I see more biscuits in my future. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/19 "2018-12-05T19:49:15Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Drink from aluminum cans. These are all spray coated with an epoxy on the interior, though. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586/20 "2018-12-05T20:42:27Z")
you also have to remember until the 40s and 50s most housewives had “baking day” which was customarily in her part of south mich/ north ind Saturday grandma told me her and great grandma baked between 6-12 loaves of bread for the week (there was something like 6 kids) sometimes more if they ran out during the week not counting cakes biscuits cookies ect you could get it delivered from a nearby bakery but wasn’t much difference and in the depression wasn’t worth the expense when the only thing they couldn’t get on the farm was baking soda……… so 5 pounds might of lasted a month or two great grandma also wouldn’t allow wonder bread in her house either Flavorless mush she called it …… grandma however thought it was great for sandwiches but when she wanted dinner bread she made rolls or buttermilk biscuits herself ironically she didn’t care for “baking powder biscuits” herself (I think they were considered dirt poor peoples biscuits was her thing ) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-piece-of-culinary-history-that-i-didnt-know-about-the-baking-powder-war/825586.md?page=2)