Starburst

I learned something new the other day. Maybe you’ve known this forever, but it was a revelation to me. I have several recipes that call for cream of tartar. If I was out of cream of tartar, I ran to the store or I chose another recipe. But if you understand what cream of tartar is there for, you can make do without it. Cream of tartar serves one of three purposes in the kitchen: it stabilizes egg whites in meringues, it prevents sugar from crystallizing in frosting, and when combined with baking soda it can act as a leavening agent. If you’re working with egg whites, you can substitute an equal amount of vinegar or lemon juice. If you’re baking cookies, replace the baking soda AND cream of tartar with an equal amount of baking powder. If you’re making frosting, just skip the cream of tartar. You’ll never miss it.