# Cream of tartar in slow-cooker potatoes recipe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081 "2012-05-06T17:45:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/1 "2012-05-06T17:45:37Z")
[This scalloped potatoes in a slow cooker recipe](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-ham-and-scalloped-potatoes/detail.aspx) starts with treating the raw potatoes with cream of tartar. Any guesses as to why, and what would happen if you skipped that step? ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/2 "2012-05-06T17:47:56Z")
I’m gonna guess that the cream of tartar is to keep the potatoes from darkening during the slow cooking process. It’s an acid, and would act like the squeeze of lemon juice you put in the water where you place the raw potatoes until you are ready to cook them. Some of the potatoes might turn an unappetizing shade of grey if you don’t use it. Won’t hurt anything one way or the other. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/3 "2012-05-06T17:53:05Z")
Ah, makes sense, esp. with such a long cooking time. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/4 "2012-05-06T18:36:52Z")
Speaking of cream of tartar - I was trying to make a lemon meringue pie in Berlin and the recipe called for it. No supermarket or shop in Berlin had ever heard of it. I looked it up and it had the wonderful German name of doppelte weisteinsaure and found out it could only be found in a pharmacy. I went and got a small packet and the pharmacist was rather amazed when I told him I wanted to use it for food. He looked at me like I was working for Sweeney Todd. The pie was quite good. Then again, that is probably what Sweeney Todd said back in the day… ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/5 "2012-05-08T14:42:46Z")
Huh. Don’t they make meringue in Germany? Or snickerdoodles? More to the point of the thread, I think I’ll be giving that recipe a shot. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/6 "2012-05-08T14:45:10Z")
On further reflection, I think I might go for a more traditional baked recipe – the crust is one of the good things about scalloped potatoes, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/7 "2012-05-08T16:17:29Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Speaking of cream of tartar - I was trying to make a lemon meringue pie in Berlin and the recipe called for it. > No supermarket or shop in Berlin had ever heard of it. > I looked it up and it had the wonderful German name of doppelte weisteinsaure and found out it could only be found in a pharmacy. > I went and got a small packet and the pharmacist was rather amazed when I told him I wanted to use it for food. > He looked at me like I was working for Sweeney Todd. > The pie was quite good. > Then again, that is probably what Sweeney Todd said back in the day… Oh, come on, don’t leave us hanging. What’s the medicinal use for cream of tartar? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cream-of-tartar-in-slow-cooker-potatoes-recipe/621081/8 "2012-05-08T16:39:19Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > Huh. Don’t they make meringue in Germany? Or snickerdoodles? You don’t need cream of tartar for meringue. I’ve never used an acidifer for meringue, but many people do. A copper bowl is the usual suggestion, but I’ve also never had problems with any old metal bowl, as long as it’s absolutely clean with no hint of grease.