1. Quick bread mixtures, such as biscuits, muffins, griddle cakes, etc., are made from a combination of flour and milk in varying proportions. Some are made light by the addition of egg and beating in air, which forms bubbles, and expands when heated; also by moisture being changed to steam when placed in a very hot oven, causing the egg albumen to harden almost immediately and preventing the escape of the heated air.

2. Batters containing an acid, such as sour milk, or molasses, are lightened by the addition of baking soda.

3. Baking soda is one of the most important of all the products of chemical manufacture. It is made from common salt. Soda is an alkaline carbonate. For that reason soda is added to acids, because alkalies and acids have, the power of neutralizing each other. When an acid is added to an alkali in the presence of moisture, a gas is formed which produces effervescence.

4. Batters not containing acids are made light by soda and cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is an acid salt. It exists in grapes and tamarinds and argols, which are the crystals that are found deposited on the sides and bottoms of casks containing grape wine. When mixed with boracic acid, it is rendered more soluble, and is then called soluble cream of tartar. It has a pleasant acid taste.

5. Batters not containing acids are made light by the addition of baking powder. This is a combination of both soda and cream of tartar, with the addition of cornstarch, which absorbs the moisture and prevents the combination from caking.

6. The greatest care should be exercised in using these leavening agents. If too much is used, it will spoil the batter or dough. Especially is this true when soda alone is used. If more is used than is necessary to neutralize the acid present, it will discolor the dough. There will also be a disagreeable odor when the dough is broken apart after it is baked.

7. For one cup of sour milk or molasses use three-fourths of a teaspoonful of soda or, if milk is very sour, one teaspoonful of soda may be used. When soda alone is used, it is a good plan to dissolve it in a small amount of boiling water, then adding it to the milk or molasses.

When cream of tartar and soda are used together, use for one cup of milk, three-fourths teaspoonful of cream of tartar and one-third teaspoonful of soda; sifting them with the dry ingredients.

The proportions for baking powder are two teaspoonfuls for one cup of flour; it should be sifted with the flour.

8. One cup of flour to one cup of milk makes a pour batter.

9. One cup of liquid to two cups of flour makes a drop batter.

10. One cup of liquid to two and three-fourths cups of flour makes a soft dough.

11. One cup of liquid to three cups of flour makes a stiff dough.