This book is an extraordinary example of well-reseached approach of food history. Either you consider the anthropological, economic and even culinary aspects of the history of baking powder, each layer is extraordinary reach. The author's merit is to offer a fantastic overview and in-depth analysis of an everyday topic. A recommended book to anyone interested in the history of mentalities and food historians.

Who knew the world of BAKING POWDER was SO dramatic? I didn't! Reading this book is really like reading a history or the american life. How products were bought from small stores, and then began to be made in the home, and started the decline of the small stores. It's really a look at how a simple product like baking powder can really illustrate how changes occurred over the past 100 years! It's amazing to me how a simple product that I have always cooked with, literally changed America! Whether you're partial to one brand or another, even if you aren't a history buff, this book is one to really make history come alive for you! It comes out in June, so put it on your MUST read list now!


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Margie Gibson's review May 06, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

If baking powder doesn't seem substantial enough to merit an entire book, that's only because its history and background have not been widely explored and remain generally unknown. Linda Civitello's carefully researched book has finally opened a window onto a fascinating subject and era in US history. The book is interdisciplinary in nature, shedding light on the science and chemistry behind baking powder, the international exchange of ideas and scientific knowledge that enabled the powder's development, the history of chemical leavening agents, politics and corruption, suspicion of foreigners (in this case, Germans), and insights into the role baking powder played in the economic history of the US, as well as marketing, feminism, and social issues.

I found especially interesting the book's exploration of how baking powder revolutionized women's lives, freeing them from the necessity of spending long hours kneading and baking bread for their families. The popularity of baking powder in the US also explains how baking styles here developed differently from European baking--US cooks relied much more extensively on a chemical leavening action, while more traditional European cooks relied on beating bubbles into the batter and using eggs as a leavening. This difference created new American baked goods such as cookies, quick biscuits, cobblers, and light fluffy cakes.

Baking Powder Wars provides fascinating insights into a unique American product--insights that will change the way you look at a marvelous invention that we have too long taken for granted.

Rumford, Calumet, Clabber Girl - I wonder what brand of baking powder resides in my cabinet. I've never stopped to consider the source, similarities or differences. It's a product that has always been a necessary ingredient for my baking.

I'm not exactly sure what drew me to request an advanced copy of this book. Perhaps it was the publisher, University of Illinois Press. I grew up in Champaign/Urbana and attended the U of I. Or, maybe the link to Terra Haute, Indiana - the shopping mecca in my earliest memory when we lived in Casey, Illinois.

I had a hard time getting through the first chapters which seemed very academic chronicling the history of grains, bread and leavening agents. A synopsis would have worked to set the stage for me.

My interest picked up as we got into the chemistry involved in creating baking powder, patents, law suits, government corruption, marketing, turf wars, regional influences, corporate vs. family business. Civitello relates the complicated tale behind a product most use without forethought - the recipe calls for it, we use it.

Baking Powder Wars will be especially interesting for food and marketing history buffs.

Oh, when I checked my current can is Clabber Girl Double Acting Baking Powder out to Terra Haute, Indiana.

History buffs and foodies rejoice! Everything you ever wanted to know about the origins and history of baking powder can be found here. It's quite fascinating!

As I've found out recently (re: The Radium Girls), non-fiction can be written with as much passion as any fictional story. But this one... wasn't. So I'm giving it a short review - 2.5 stars. Pros/cons:

+ There was a lot of interesting history facts that were completely new to me (how bread was made at home, how breakmaking shifted from the household to the factory, what baking powders are made from, even!)

+ I was introduced to some very interesting old recipes, and how baking was even understood at that time. I'm a sucker for detail like that!

+ Loaaaads of mouth watering due to reading about cookies, breads, cakes and other wonders of the world.

However...

- The voice is just so boring. At times I felt like I was back in my school desk, reading my homework.

- The part about social history or recipes is absolutely fine, but there was also a lot of corporate or even court history. No thanks. Super yawn.

- There was a general lack of direction of what they're telling..? Why does the book end with race cars? I don't care that it was the same company that made baking powder big. I don't care about race cars when I'm reading about cookies, man :D

Ultimately, I can compare this book with wading in deep mud looking for lost pirate doubloons. When you find them, it's all pretty great, but you don't find them often enough, and the mud does slow you down quite a bit. I definitely found quite a few nuggets. But wading through that mud was pretty dull.

I received an early copy of this book via Netgalley.

I have a deep interest in 19th century history. It provides the background for several of my novels. I'm also a food blogger and all-around foodie. I am endlessly fascinated by the role of food in book world-building and in our own history.

Therefore <i>Baking Powder Wars</i> is perfect for me. At times, it's confusing because of the sheer number of names, but it never ceases to be interesting. The book begins with a discussion of leavening ingredients over time, starting with yeast and pearlash, and the development of different types of baking powder over the 19th century. The companies truly did wage a nasty political and commercial war for dominance, and two companies ultimately emerged victorious: Clabber Girl and Calumet. That's no spoiler, as I bet most folks have one or the other in their cabinet. (I was raised with Clabber Girl.)

What really interested me, though, were the cultural ramifications of baking powder. It obviously freed women from the kitchen and the hours and days it might take to create yeast bread, but baking powder also became integrated in different cultures and regions of the United States, and gradually changed traditional recipes to become baking powder recipes. Southern-style biscuits are a prime example of this. As baking powder became a symbol of modernity and civilization, it also played a part in controlling Native Americans on reservations (baking powder and flour were allotted to them, and became part of the reservation food Indian fry bread, which didn't exist before then) and perpetuating racist stereotypes of blacks through the 1930s and onward.

If you have any interest in food and history, seek out this book. I'll never look at my baking powder the same way again.

“Baking Powder Wars” by Linda Civitello should be on the “must read” list of every foodie. I am not a “foodie” but since I know some, I was intrigued by the title. I had no idea that baking powder played such an important, even pivotal, role in what we eat, cook, and do.

This book is not about an obscure little business competition between baking powder companies; it outlines a nasty, cutthroat competition to dominate baking, commerce, and society, a full-fledged war that changed the social order. Who knew that baking powder influenced home-making, American food, cookbooks, cooking methods, advertising, recipes, trade unions, war rations, flavorings, trading cards, oh, and brought about CUPCAKES AND DONUTS?

A tremendous amount of quality research went into this book as shown in the extensive details. It was not the dry and tedious read one might expect from a “history book.” It was actually interesting and very easy to read; it was a “thriller” set in the food world. I ‘m still not a real foodie; I have not started photos online posting of food I am eating, but I have certainly gained a new appreciation for the lowly red can of baking powder stuck in the back of my cupboard.

When I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review, I did not expect much, but I was certainly wrong. I really enjoyed the trip through history, and certainly learned a lot about a product that changed more of civilization than I would have believed possible.

Who would have thought that a book about baking powder would be a truly riveting read? It's filled with factual and technical detail, but Linda Citivello has taken care to present it in a very readable way, making it totally accessible. In over 50 years of reading, this is one of the best non fiction books I've ever read. It not only brings a relatively uninteresting subject to life, it's also a huge slice of social history, European and American. I absolutely loved this book and it's one I shall rave about for a long time.

I must confess I've always taken baking powder for granted. As a British reader, I grew up with Borthwicks. I knew the difference between plain and self raising flour, I was taught how to use yeast as a leavening agent and I've never really thought further about how and why I use these products. Wow, this book is a real eye opener, particularly if you're a keen home cook; there are so many recipes within the text it's also a baking journey.

What really stands out for me is the way the author has turned this potentially dull subject into a lively and vibrant read. I truly wanted to know what happened next and with meticulous research and easy to access references, this book is a joy in every way. There's more to explore and it's taken me on a journey I never envisaged.

European social history is considered in a unique way. Emigrants to America from Britain, Germany, France etc took with them their traditions, each uniquely influenced by brewing practice. Different beverages, different methods and yeast residuals. Absolutely astonishing and I had no idea that a single chemical would influence not only home cooking, but development of an industry based solely on a raising agent. Cakes, biscuits, scones, shelf life, taste, packaging...a seemingly endless list resulting from one product. None of these were produced on a commercial scale before baking powder.

And that's before we even think about social history in terms of women, brand identification, advertising, product placement. Baking powder was first patented in 1856, around a hundred years before I was born. I had no idea that a product we all take for granted would have such a profound influence on both diet and culture. If you chose just one non fiction book to read, let it be this. An astonishing achievement and a stunning book.

Greatly researched, I learned a lot. I never even knew that there was any type of issue surrounding this, and no wonder what is going on around other food items we consume everyday.

I think that Linda Civitello must have dreams about biscuits and baking powder. Wow. What an incredible amount of research she has done for this book.

Baking Powder Wars was published by the University of Illinois Press. In my experience, books published by a university press can be a bit dry and more academic than a casual reader is looking for. This book starts out that way, as the first few chapters set up the cooking rituals of pre-baking-powder America, its not inaccessible but it's pretty research-dense. However, stick with it. Its important to set the scene for the leavening options before the baking powder to set the scene for war war! war!! My jaw dropped at one point as I read, mouth agape, about the drastic measures some of the baking powder companies took to try and dominate the market. Or should I say, "flatten" their competition? (No, I shouldn't say that. Too easy.)

The research is impressive and the tactics described are astounding. I had no idea baking powder was such big business. The more I read, the more I enjoyed it, and I appreciate the amount of information the author shares about the families that were behind many of the big companies at war with one another in the 19th & 20th century. They started off small and built an empire that went beyond the single product.

Couldn't get into this book. Did not finish. I think it would have been an easier read in paper form vs. e-reader.
It might be one I would look for in a library.

OMG...what can I say? I started reading this book purely by the title wondering just how could one write about the wars of baking powder. The amount of information that is crammed into this book is amazing, and laid out in an almost addictive fashion to keep reading and not in a dry information way. Have a foodie on your list to buy for? This book is perfect!

Fascinating history of a pantry staple. Didn't expect to find it to be so engaging but page after page I was drawn into the text, learning about the complex back story to such a versatile ingredient. I also enjoyed seeing the old advertisements as well.

This was interesting, but hampered by a clunky style and some poor presentation of good research. | The story being told here is definitely worth the time Civitello took to research and write about it. I had read about previously about Pure Food fights in Swindled: From Poison Sweets to Counterfeit Coffee—The Dark History of the Food Cheats, but this was focused on just baking powder, which is a draw all on its own. The further I read the more I enjoyed it, as the author seemed to settle into her voice as the book went on, but the beginning nearly lost me. The introduction felt like a clunky Master's thesis, continually using the "this document will show" style that is inappropriate for a mass-market book. It also seemed a bit unsure as to whether the purpose was a history of a product or a deeper look at American feminism as felt in the kitchen. Throughout the Introduction and Chapter 1, the transitions were abrupt, which made the book easy to put down, and then I came across a sloppily-presented fact. Civitello states that in "1840, New England women's literacy was at 100%". That particular number is always going to catch the eye. It seemed, frankly, unlikely. So I checked her citation, then found the book she got the fact from on Google books. It was a book written in 1977, and it stated, instead, that "virtually all" women in 1840 New England were literate, which is not the same as 100%. In turn, that book's citation for the fact, a 1974 book, used the phrase "almost all"; again, not the same as 100%, and it turns out that the true literacy rate in New England in 1840 was between 91% and 97%. Look, I know this makes me sound like a pedant. I don't actually care what the literacy rate was in that area at that time, the point is that it's poor scholarship and it calls attention to itself with the unlikely number presented. That makes me less trusting of the author. Then I got to Chapter 2, where she stated that "in the nineteenth century...the United States didn't have a wine industry". Except that we did. The first commercial winery in California opened in 1857 after 3 centuries of monastic CA wine growing. Cream of tartar had been available in the US since before there was a US. That the baking powder executives of New England and the Midwest didn't think to source from the newly-settled and still wild and distant west coast is not the same as if the product did not exist.
These are very small complaints in an interesting story. The problem is that these are just the things that jumped out at me, which makes me wonder what else was presented without exact accuracy that I didn't recognize. That said, I am glad I read the book, and I came to the end pleased about the brand of baking powder I have in my cupboard, so I clearly was drawn in by the events.

Let me start by saying that I have been in the culinary world for many years now - as a culinary student, professional baker, owner of an Italian restaurant and catering business. So when I had an opportunity to read Baking Powder Wars by Linda Civitello, I jumped at it!

I know that baking powder may not be at the top of your reading list, and you are probably saying to yourself, "what could be so fascinating about baking powder?". Believe me, after reading this book you will definitely change your thoughts on that subject!

Linda Civitello takes us on an in-depth journey of how hundreds of companies fought for market control, mainly talking on the 4 main companies we all know - Rumford, Calumet, Clabber Girl, and Royal. From the Publisher: She also tells the war's untold stories, from Royal's claims that its competitors sold poison, to the Ku Klux Klan's campaign against Clabber Girl and its German Catholic owners.

Baking Powder Wars: The Cutthroat Food Fight that Revolutionized Cooking is a well-researched, entertaining, and a beautifully written book that any baker, food historian or anyone in the culinary industry should read!

I read this book from Net Galley for an honest review.
Publication Date: June 15, 2017

Interesting deep dive into food history with just enough gloss and adventuring for the lay reader - it's always intriguing to have the curtain pulled back on a calm surface, very Emerald City. Ms. Civitello's writing style is accessible and obviously imbued with a love of the subject matter, she seems to be having a great time and it definitely comes through on the page.

First patented in 1856, baking powder is the invented substance that is the basis of all white baked fluffy foods that we think of as staples today. Pancakes, muffins and all that yummy stuff would not exist without it. This book documents the story of baking powder, and it is full of intrigue, backstabbing, and excitement. The entire Senate of Missouri was bribed at one point, and dozens of woman outright stole recipes from their slaves and claimed them as their own. The baking powder industry tried to get their competitors product banned, and the biased media helped them along the way. This glimpse into America’s absurd history entertained me. From the publisher: Civitello shows how hundreds of companies sought market control, focusing on the big four of Rumford, Calumet, Clabber Girl, and the once-popular brand Royal. She also tells the war’s untold stories, from Royal’s claims that its competitors sold poison, to the Ku Klux Klan’s campaign against Clabber Girl and its German Catholic owners.

I read a DRC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. You can read it on or around June 15, 2017.

Baking Powder Wars is a well-researched, highly accessible and overall fascinating book all about, well, you guessed it, baking powder. I had no idea of the history of this crucial baking product and I was blown away by how interesting that this book was. Rumford has been on my shelf for years and now I know a lot about how it got there. If you are a baker and you love food history, this is a must-have for your TBR pile.

It transpires that baking powder is a microcosm of all that is wrong with the system. From creating demand where there was none, to lying, cheating, stealing, spying and bribing the entire senate of Missouri, the story of baking powder is a lively tale, unexpected, and informative. Linda Civitello says “It was an American invention and it was crucial in creating a uniquely American cuisine that has spread throughout the world.” That cuisine is mostly white, light and sweet: cakes, doughnuts, biscuits, muffins, cupcakes and cookies. They are now the basis of diet, worldwide.

Just like in the kitchen, there is a lot of prep work. Civitello puts women in their place, experimenting, inventing, and investigating ingredients and processes, pre baking powder. They communicated by the cookbooks they wrote. They messed with longstanding family recipes that did not work in the colonies, where the flour was different, corn was more available than wheat, and a distinct preference for light and sweet soon developed. Women were in charge of baking, and they ran with it. They innovated. Then however, men invented baking powder, and fought over it. Women were there to purchase it, and the men created a whole new way of living by getting them to buy it continuously.

When the big four competitors decided to take on the women who insisted on making their leavening from scratch, their first thought was to take over the cookbook. They could add color plates and fancier layouts in these corporate cookbooks. And plaster them with their brand. They also competed in trade cards that were popular to collect (and which eventually morphed into bubblegum trading cards). And almanacs. Soon, they took to badmouthing each other via their door to door salesmen, their print advertising and their packaging. They tried to get laws passed banning the competition’s product. They bought media so effectively the media were not permitted to print replies and rebuttals that might criticize their product. With one or two exceptions, they ran their employees ragged, paid women less than men, and fought regulation, food safety and labor standards. So very little has changed.

Civitello’s life is food history. She collects it, researches it and writes about it. It looks like a niche she could simply own, and most of the images are from her own collection. Her book is a delight. She interlaces the absurd history with jabs at the male-dominated world and the racists – both men and women, who dominated it. Women stole recipes from their slaves and ads portrayed women at ease thanks to the black “help”. (There is a particularly nasty description of the revered Marjorie Kennan Rawlings.) Civitello lays it all our out for readers to judge. This mountain via molehill has a variety of villains and a variety of impacts. It moves quickly and brings back all kinds of pop culture memories. It is a sweet treat on its own.

David Wineberg