Leavening nature’s way is surprisingly easy. The acid content of citrus fruit juices or vinegar may be used to develop the unsurpassed flavor and texture associated with baking soda products. The following amounts,

may be used with ½ teaspoon baking soda. Many of the recipes in this booklet are especially designed for this natural combination of baking soda and acid juices. Sometimes the acid is added last as in the “Lemon Loaf Cake” on page 11, while in the “Lemon Clover Rolls,” page 28, it is combined with the liquid, then added to the mixture. In any case, you will be pleased with the results.

IMPORTANT! You don’t need natural sour milk or buttermilk to prepare your old time favorite delicacies. It is the acid normally found in these ingredients which reacts with baking soda for leavening. If sour milk or buttermilk with its natural acid is not available, you may provide the necessary acid by using citrus fruit juices or vinegar with sweet milk. It is surprisingly simple to change sweet milk to milk that contains as much acid as natural sour milk or buttermilk when it is at its best for baking.

For example, when vinegar is used to provide this acid, place 1? tablespoons vinegar (white vinegar makes a whiter product) in a standard measuring cup, then fill to the one-cup mark with sweet milk. Mix well. The resulting liquid can be used in place of sour milk or buttermilk in any baking soda recipe. Use 1½ tablespoons lemon juice or ¾ cup orange juice in a similar manner.

In many of these recipes, designed in our Research Test Kitchen, one or more acid ingredient is used to create perfect leavening with baking soda.

Follow these recipes accurately and carefully, then enjoy the finer flavor and even texture produced when baking with baking soda.