I posed that same question to the seller of the blend and she uses a pH meter as well as other means to determine the total acidity. Compared to granulated citric acid, the acidity of the blend reached the same pH level using the same amount of the acid blend. The acid blend is also granular and looks exactly like citric. Its not made of cream or tarter or any other common baking or cooking additive. Its basiclally a blend that is derived from the same kinds of sources citric come from, except these sources are higher in malic and tarteric. I'm not saying is safe to add to tomatoes when canning, but even for that, all tomatoes have some acidity in them, be it citric, malic, tarteric, or other more complex acids. Adding an acid, or acid complex of most any kind can reinforce the acidity of a food thats to be canned. For jellies, it does make then taste a lot better and fresher compared to a single 'monotone' citric tartness. There are other acids like fumaric and a few more that are used to enhance flavor and taste, but these fall into a higher level of commercial applications. The acid blend is specifically used to increase acidity of grape and other fruit juices and goes great with many wine making recipes. Too much tarteric can precipitate out and reform crystals at the bottom of a wine bottle. When this level is reached, its a good indication that the acidity has reached its maximum absorbtion into the juice. The amount used to achieve this crysalizing is usually about the same amount of just citric alone, when you consider adding a half teaspoon to a wine in a quart bottle. Suffice to say, that Elizabeth Andress may not condone its use, only because she has not, or will not, admit to giving it a pH test for its purpose, which is to acidify a food to be canned.

"I found an interesting Michigan site that has declared a noxious weed ordinance on both poison ivy and poison sumac ... despite the fact that the USDA Plants Database lists these as native to Michigan:" "It shall be the duty of all owners of land upon which weeds, as defined in this ordinance, are growing ... To destroy said weeds before they reach a seed-bearing stage, and to prevent said weeds from perpetuating themselves and from becoming a detriment to public health." The Michigan article link is to a site suggesting how a township might want to word a noxious weed ordinance. It is not an actual ordinance. It is intended as a template for townships to use. The end of the article indicates even if used word for word it may not be what the township needs, anyway. It would be hard to find a yard in Michigan that has not had wild carrot or ragweed (other listed weeds) in it at some time within the past 5 years. Places that might impose laws against them would be communities where everyone buys into the Chemlawn mindset, grass and grass only, no matter the work or cost. And there are a few subdivisions like that. But it is not the norm. Michigan has poison ivy all over the place. Seeds will constantly be brought in if you have natural areas anywhere nearby. Some subdivisions, homeowners associations, etc. have covenants requiring all types of things...No cars in the drive over 2 hours, no open garage doors over 5 minutes, etc. Some include no veggie gardens, no pools, etc. in them. I wouldn't be surprised if some require no "weeds" in the yard, including poison ivy.....but most of us in Michigan do not live in such areas. And the few people I know who do, find not all of the "rules" are enforced. They are mainly there to use if there is a problem neighbor in the area....grossly unkept lawn, junk all over, etc. I have only seen poison sumac in or very near certain types of wetlands. I'm curious to know if it would even grow for most people. It does not spread like poison ivy which grows most anywhere. And I know of two school owned nature centers that have poison sumac along bog boardwalks that students regularly use. They are told about the plant, and it is accepted as part of the natural plant community of the area. The only time the plants are bothered is when they begin to grow over the walkways. Then they are just trimmed to be about 3 feet from the walkway. I walked through one of the areas about 3 times a week for 8 years with school children and did not have problems. Seems like people could grow poison sumac if they wanted as long as it wasn't in a public area, ie. hanging over your front sidewalk. I agree, it has it merits. The fall colors are beautiful and many birds love the fruit. In fact, maybe the one growing in your yard ended up there because a bird "planted" it...fertilized it, too. And how were you to know what it was?

I bought my bottle from the health food store and was expecting it to smell like almonds. But this stuff has NO scent whatsoever! I kinda like it that way but I do love the scent of almonds.

Hi - I'm thinking the 'snap' may be due more to ambient temperature than anything inherent in the chocolate - do you store it in the fridge as the recipe directs? Or maybe...2 pounds spread on 11X17 baking sheet sounds rather thick - maybe use 2 sheets & spread thinner? I make almond bark w/ Sunspire organic choc. chips & a bit of fresh vanilla bean seeds(split bean & scrape out) &/or a few drops orange oil plus toasted almonds - spreading the melted mess onto parchment paper as thinly as possible. It comes out quite hard. Perhaps it's the white chocolate in the above recipes - doesn't that have a higher cocoa butter content? FWIW, HTH