Alright, let’s talk about this Arm and Hammer baking powder stuff. I ain’t no scientist or nothin’, but I can tell ya what I know, ya know? It’s somethin’ folks use for bakin’ and cleanin’, been around forever it seems.
First off, what’s in it? Well, they say it’s got this “sodium bicarbonate” thing. Sounds fancy, but it’s just that stuff that makes things puff up when you’re bakin’ a cake or somethin’. It’s like the magic powder, makes things light and fluffy, not heavy as a rock like my old biscuits used to be before I learned this trick.
Now, some folks say this Arm and Hammer stuff is different from regular bakin’ soda. They say it’s “double-acting.” I ain’t exactly sure what that means, but I reckon it means it works twice as hard. Like when you put it in your cake, it makes bubbles right away when you mix it with the wet stuff, and then it makes more bubbles when you put it in the oven. That’s what I heard, anyways.
- They use it for cleanin’ too.
- You can put it in your fridge to soak up bad smells.
- Heck, you can even scrub your pots and pans with it.
My neighbor, bless her heart, she uses it for everything. She says it gets the stains out of her clothes, cleans her sink, and even makes her teeth whiter. I tried it on my teeth once, but it tasted kinda funny, so I ain’t doin’ that no more. But it does work on the pots and pans though, gets all the burnt stuff off real good.
Now, some folks are worried about this stuff bein’ “synthetic” or “lab-made.” They say it’s toxic. I don’t know about all that. Seems to me folks have been usin’ it for years, and they ain’t droppin’ dead left and right. My grandma used it, my mama used it, and I’m still here, ain’t I? Maybe them city folks worry too much.
They say this Arm and Hammer stuff can also help with itchy skin. Like if you get into poison ivy or somethin’. You just mix it with a little water and put it on the itchy spot. I ain’t tried it for that, but I reckon it wouldn’t hurt. Old Bess had a rash last summer, maybe I shoulda tried it on her, poor thing was scratchin’ somethin’ awful.
You gotta be careful though, they say you need to use a fresh box for bakin’. If you leave it open for too long, it’ll soak up all the smells in your house and won’t work so good. Makes sense, I guess. Like when you leave a bowl of leftovers in the fridge too long, it gets kinda funky. Same deal with this stuff, I reckon.
They also say you can cook with it. Well, duh! That’s what it’s for, ain’t it? Cakes, cookies, biscuits, you name it. I even put a pinch in my meatloaf sometimes, makes it nice and tender. My grandson, little Mikey, he loves my cookies. Says they’re the best in the whole wide world. That’s probably because of the Arm and Hammer, gotta give credit where credit is due.
So, there you have it. That’s what I know about Arm and Hammer bakin’ powder, or soda, whatever they call it. It’s good for bakin’, good for cleanin’, and maybe good for itchy skin too. Just don’t eat it straight out of the box, and make sure you use a fresh box for bakin’. And don’t listen to them city folks who say it’s gonna kill ya. They worry too much, I tell ya.
Now, I gotta go make some biscuits before Mikey comes over. He’ll be wantin’ somethin’ to eat, that boy’s got a bottomless pit for a stomach. And you know what I’ll be using to make them biscuits rise up nice and fluffy? You guessed it, that Arm and Hammer stuff! It just works, plain and simple.
Tags: [Arm and Hammer, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Ingredients, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cleaning, Cooking, Itchy Skin, Double Acting]
