# How old is old? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514 "2010-01-03T16:25:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/1 "2010-01-03T16:25:38Z")
…for baking soda? Can I still use my Clabber Girl if it’s outdated? What about 5 years out dated. It still looks ok. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/2 "2010-01-03T16:36:10Z")
It will likely work fine, if stored in a dry cool area. I have no trouble with old baking soda. Wait isn’t Clabber Girl baking powder? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/3 "2010-01-03T18:03:26Z")
I know this one! Baking powder is just baking soda and cream of tartar. Mix a spoonful into a cup of hot water, if it foams up, it’s good! Baking soda keeps just fine for years, AFAIK, as long as it’s dry. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/4 "2010-01-03T18:05:29Z")
If it’s Clabber Girl, it’s baking powder. It may or may not work, but it would be a shame for all your efforts to fail due to a few pennies’ worth of tired baking powder. Baking soda would still work, but after years, it has probably absorbed some off flavors. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/5 "2010-01-03T21:48:25Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > It will likely work fine, if stored in a dry cool area. I have no trouble with old baking soda. Wait isn’t Clabber Girl baking powder? Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a cook. Indead, it’s baking _powder_ :smack: **salinqmind** , so I can make my own baking powder? I have cream of tartar, what ratio? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/6 "2010-01-03T22:14:44Z")
I always say that you’re a real cook if you have Cream Of Tartar (said in a pretentious way) in your kitchen. I have Cream of Tartar, too, but it’s never been opened. Oh, if you’re using self-rising flour, you know, the point is moot. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/7 "2010-01-03T22:28:07Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a cook. Indead, it’s baking _powder_ :smack: > > **salinqmind** , so I can make my own baking powder? I have cream of tartar, what ratio? [First hit on Google](http://frugalliving.about.com/od/condimentsandspices/r/Baking_Powder.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/8 "2010-01-04T02:35:00Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I always say that you’re a real cook if you have Cream Of Tartar (said in a pretentious way) in your kitchen. I have Cream of Tartar, too, but it’s never been opened. Oh, if you’re using self-rising flour, you know, the point is moot. I have Cream of Tartar in my pantry, but it’s for making playdough. Do I still get the points? ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/9 "2010-01-04T03:04:18Z")
Silly, who doesn’t have Cream of Tartar in their kitchen? How else do you add volume to your egg whites when making soufflé? ---
**Author:** ![NoiseBomb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/49beb7/32.png) [@NoiseBomb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoiseBomb)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-old/523514/10 "2010-01-05T06:51:51Z")
Baking powder can (does?) go off eventually. I had no idea why some brownies I made some years back came out very , very flat and solid until for some reason I thought to examine the can more closely. Three years past the expiration date. I didn’t know about the hot water test, I’ll have to try that sometime.