KitchenSavvy

Mexican Vanilla Extract - Is It Safe?

Happy New Year.  Some friends of ours just came back from a trip to Mexico and they brought us a bottle of vanilla concentrate. I’ve never used ‘concentrate’ before so decided to Google it.  Some people are saying to not use it for it could cause liver damage if there’s a certain ingredient in it. Can you help clarify some of this for me and if’s it’s okay to use does one use it as normal vanilla in recipes?
--Belinda

Vanilla extract is a liquid food flavoring made from the seed pods of the vanilla plant.  There are numerous varieties of the vanilla plant that are used for making vanilla flavoring and extract.  In fact, the first records of vanilla are from when the Spanish arrived in the Gulf of Mexico, around the area that is now known as Veracruz.

While there may be some perfectly good and safe vanilla made in Mexico, unfortunately there are others that are not safe and shouldn't be used.  According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration one ingredient that is used in making so-called vanilla flavoring is the bean of the Tonka plant (Dipteryx odorata, also known as Coumarouna odorata).  The tonka bean is sometimes described as double vanilla or vanilla on steroids, due to its strong flavor.  Unfortunately, tonka also contains a substance called Coumarin, which has blood thinning properties and has been shown to cause liver damage.  Because of this, foods and foodstuffs containing tonka bean or its extract are banned in the United States and several other countries.

The FDA says "Be wary about buying products labeled "Vainilla" or "Extracto de Vainilla" in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Look for "vanilla bean" in the ingredient list on the label. If it has "tonka bean" or if there is no ingredient list or a vague one, do not purchase this product."

My best advice is to thank your friends for thinking of you and go back to using your favorite store-bought vanilla.  It is not worth the risk to your health, or that of your loved onces, to use any ingredient that you are not confident is safe.

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Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered, nor can we guarantee we will answer questions immediately
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward

How Does Gluten Free Baking Rise

I understand how the gluten in wheat flour works to capture the gas formed by either yeast or baking powder or soda, but what makes the non gluten containing flours rise?
--Lynn

In normal baking, the proteins glutenin and gliadin in flour bond with the water and with each other to form long strands and sheets of what we know as gluten.  Many baked goods rely on the formation of gluten to trap gases released by leavening agents in order to make the product rise.  The most common example is the gluten formed in making bread, although gluten is found in lesser amounts in biscuits, cakes and cookies, as well.

Gluten sensitivity is a reaction to the gluten found in most baked goods.  The proteins that make up gluten can be found not just in wheat, but also barley, rye,  triticale and some other grains.  Others, like oats, may be contaminated during handling and processing.  Gluten sensitivity affects the body's ability to absorb nutrients.

Many gluten-free baked goods can be bought, or made at home.  Flour made from rice, corn, beans or other starchy foods is used to provide the substance of the product, and yeast or baking soda or powder are still used to provide the lift, but because these flours don't form gluten, something else is needed to trap the gases produced by the leavener.  The two most commonly used ingredients are egg and xanthan gum, both of which allow the gases to be held until the starches can set enough to hold the volume.

Because bread made in this way lacks the long protein structures of gluten, its consistency is somewhat more cake-like than regular bread.  All gluten-free products will tend to be denser and more crumbly that their gluten containing counterparts.

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Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered, nor can we guarantee we will answer questions immediately
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward

Cream of Tartar vs Tartar Sauce

Are Cream of Tartar and Tartar Sauce the same thing?
--Helen

Seeing this question made me think of a Before and After category puzzle on Wheel of Fortune where the answer is "Cream of Tartar Sauce."

No, they are not the same thing.  Cream of tartar is a dry white powder that is actually finely ground tartaric acid.  The chemical name is potassium bitartrate and the formula, for those who care, is KC₄H₅O₆.  It is found as a sediment in the making of wine (see Crystals in Wine).  Cream of tartar has three main uses in the home kitchen -- to stabilize egg whites when they are whipped (see Beating Egg Whites - How Cream of Tartar Helps), in candy making to help reduce the formation of crystals in boiling sugar, and as a leavening agent when combined with baking soda (see Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder).

Tartar sauce is a mayonnaise-based condiment most frequently served with seafood.  Typical ingredients, other than the mayonnaise are chopped dill pickles, capers, lemon juice, vinegar, onions or shallots, and various herbs and seasonings.  Here is my recipe for homemade tartar sauce which I like to serve with crab cakes:

Homemade Tartar Sauce

	1/3	c	Mayonnaise
1		tsp	Lemon Zest
1		tbsp	Fresh Lemon Juice
	1/2	clove	Garlic, minced
1	1/2	tbsp	Chopped Caper Berries, rinsed and drained
1	1/2	tsp	Chopped Fresh Chives
2		tsp	Chopped Fresh Cilantro or Tarragon
			Salt and Pepper, to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together and refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour for the flavors to meld.  Quantities can be adjusted to suit your taste.

I like to zest the lemon and mince the garlic using a micro-plane since that way they mix right in without any chunks or stringy bits, but both can be done with a knife if you prefer.  Also, I prefer the larger caper berries to the non-pareil size, although any size would work.

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Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered, nor can we guarantee we will answer questions immediately
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward

Raw Egg Whites

Making "White Christmas Pie" for the first time, the recipe calls for beaten egg whites, with cream of tartar and sugar but never says to "cook" it.  Is it necessary to cook the egg whites, or is it safe to use them, blended with other ingredients?

--Dora

You are right to be concerned about using raw egg whites.  The USDA now warns against eating anything made with raw eggs and especially about serving them to infants, young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, since they are the most susceptible to salmonella bacteria.  The risk is especially high in something like White Christmas Pie, since it is typically made well ahead of consumption and may be eaten over a period hours or even days.

There are alternatives however.  Some cooks have suggested a process for heating the egg whites with water, sugar and cream of tartar over a double boiler until they reach a temperature of 160°F (71°C).  I'm not crazy about this method for two reasons -- first because raising the temperature increases the risk of contamination so you need to be sure to heat the entire amount to that temperature and hold it there, and second because there is a chance of actually cooking the eggs if they are over-heated.  If done right, however, apparently you can still whip the egg whites as usual.

The other alternatives are the whites of pasteurized in-the-shell eggs and powdered egg whites or meringue powder.  The US FDA has approved the pasteurization of whole eggs in their shell.  They can be found in some grocery stores and can be used in recipes calling for uncooked eggs.  Powdered egg whites are also pasteurized and can be used.  They are reconstituted with water following the manufacturer's directions and should whip well for this recipe.

Meringue powder is powdered egg whites already blended with sugar and stabilizers such as gum arabic, as well as flavor and preservatives.  Since they already contain sugar and usually vanilla, you will likely need to reduce or completely omit the sugar and vanilla called for in the recipe.  It may take a bit of experimenting to find the right amount of sugar and vanilla to use.

In any case, the pie should be kept refrigerated until served.

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If you have food or cooking questions, send them to Questions@KitchenSavvy.com

 

Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered, nor can we guarantee we will answer questions immediately
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward