By Substitution

I set out to make a batch of peanut butter cookies this afternoon (credit to 101 Cookbooks), but after I got home from the grocery store and proudly laid out my organic natural peanut butter (crunchy, to be redundant), grade A maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, and other ingredients practically requisite in a San Franciscan baked good, I discovered what I thought to be a fatal flaw: baking powder. The recipe, as you may note if you followed the link, calls for baking soda. Many people keep baking soda in their refrigerator, to dispel food odors; however, I'm currently a houseguest, and my host doesn't observe this tradition.

This is not the first time I, or any other hapless would-be baker, suffered this mix-up. One of the few stories told about my mother involves a wok, a beef stir-fry, and the wrong white powdery baking substance. Apparently the result was inedible, and I was always careful to check and double-check my ingredient list after imagining a dinner party gone terribly awry.

That said, I did some quick research and discovered all was not lost: thrice the baking powder can be used to substitute for any given quantity of baking soda. Apparently flavor may be compromised, but my cookies were (are) delicious nonetheless. Brilliant. If you want to go the other way, try 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda.

However, the main lesson learned: keep baking soda in the refrigerator.