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.

Janet, what a story and what a test of tact that must have been. Ann, I love shortbread. If anyone wants to start a fan club, I'm there. I didn't have time earlier to post it, but has anyone tried Regan Daley's Butter-Toffee Crunch Shortbread from "In the Sweet Kitchen"? It is the most incredibly rich brown sugar shortbread variation. I don't make it often; I have to be sure I have lots of recipients lined up first so I don't keep too much in the house. It's deadly to diets. BUTTER-TOFFEE CRUNCH SHORTBREAD Makes 50 3-inch fingers "Awfully impressive, and dead easy, this is just a good basic brown sugar Scottish shortbread recipe, enhanced with butterscotch and toffee bits. As with any shortbread, the quality and freshness of the butter and flour make all the difference in the flavour and texture. Use the best, and make sure they're fresh. This makes a large batch, perfect for giving, and the shortbread keeps very well in airtight tins. If desired, the recipe can be reduced by half." 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup rice flour, or substitute cornstarch if rice flour is unavailable 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups (3/4 pound) fresh unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 tablespoons fruit sugar or superfine sugar 6 tablespoons tightly packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup miniature butterscotch chips 2/3 cups English toffee pieces for baking such as Skor Bits (available in the baking sections of most supermarkets) Additional unsalted butter for greasing pan Preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom and up the two long sides with a piece of parchment paper. Leave about a 1-inch overhang over the sides to make removing the cooled shortbread easier. Sift the all-purpose and rice flour together with the salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, beat the butter until very smooth. Gradually add the sugars and cream the mixture until it is very light and fluffy. If using a mixer, transfer the creamed butter-sugar mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. Use your fingers to knead the final portion of dry ingredients into the dough, keeping your palms off the dough as much as possible, so the warmth doesn't turn the butter oily. When the last of the flour is fully blended, add the butterscotch and toffee bits and knead them into the dough until they are evenly distributed. I should warn you at this point, that this dough now smells better than any cookie dough you have ever experienced. Restrain yourself; you will do yourself no favors devouring the entire mess at this point, and the baking doesn't take that long. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface. Prick the dough all over with a fork and set the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the shortbread for about 45 minutes, then prick the dough again to release any trapped air. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown, and the center feels just firm to the touch. The shortbread will set to a very firm biscuit as it cooks, so it must be cut while it is still warm. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 7 to 8 minutes, then run a sharp paring knife around the outside of the dough to loosen the edges. Make two long cuts in the shortbread, dividing it evenly into three rectangles, each cut beginning and ending at a short side of the pan. Cutting from long side to long side, cut the rectangles into about ¾-inch wide fingers, wiping the knife on a clean towel between each cut, as it gets sticky and can pull and tear the cooling shortbread. Leave the fingers to cool completely in the pan, then re-cut and transfer them to airtight tins. This shortbread can be frozen before or after it is baked. Freeze the dough pressed into the prepared pan, well wrapped with plastic and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, without disturbing the wrapping, and bake directly from the refrigerator. The baking time may have to be increased by a few minutes to compensate for the chilled dough. Freeze the cooled fingers in airtight bags or containers, layering between sheets of waxed or parchment paper and wrapping the whole tin or container with aluminum foil. Thaw the entire package, without removing the wrapping, at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours. I haven't previously frozen the dough, but I do intend to do that this year. Very handy for the holidays. Carol

Here is the Lemon Cranberry Icebox Cookie recipe: 1 cup butter, softened at room temp 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar, packed 2 large eggs 1 t grated lemon peel 2 TB fresh lemon juice 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped roughly 3 1/2 cups a-p flour 1 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 1.Using an electric mixer at medium speed (or by hand) beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy. 2.Add the eggs to the creamed mixture one at a time, beating well after each. 3.Add the grated lemon rind and lemon juice to the creamed mixture and beat well. 4.Add the dried cranberries to the dough and mix until well blended. 5.Combine the flour, soda and salt in a bowl. Slowly add a portion of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and blend just until well combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat until well blended. Do not over beat. 6.Divide dough into 3 equal portions. 7.Take each portion of dough and shape it into a log about 12-inches long. Form the log into a round by rolling the dough back and forth on lightly floured parchment or was paper. 8.If you plan to bake the cookies right away: double wrap each log in plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 4 hours (or freeze about 2 hours). Preheat oven to 350F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper; unwrap dough log and using a sharp knife, cut each log into 1/4-inch slices. Rotate the dough log 1/4 turn after each cookie is cut - this will help keep the cookies round. 9.Place each slice 2-inches apart on the paper on the sheet. 10.Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. 11.Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 12.Repeat the process for the next batch of cookies to freeze the dough 1.Wrap the plastic wrap dough logs in freezer paper, or put them in a freezer zip bag. Be sure to label and date the logs of dough. Remove as much air as possible from the zip bag. Store up to 4-6 weeks in the freezer. 2.Thaw log of dough in the refrigerator for 4 hours or more before slicing and baking. source: 30 Delicious Icebox Cookie Recipes, Lori Burke, Kindle Edition

Tricia, I'm so sorry about the list that disappeared! I hate it when that happens! One of the things I love about Firefox is that those things are sometimes recoverable. (Either following the back arrow, or closing and reloading.) The MAGMA cookware is interesting. Same kind of thought as the Cristel that KitchenDetective mentioned. Seems to have good variety, too. So I've been trimming my list and I think I have it down all the way. I thought I'd share. No wok required, but it could hand half into the window, next to the dishwasher. :) It's still a really long list, but I think everything actually fits, and pretty easily. More so than the people! When four people sit down to dinner in my shipping container, the table and chairs are big enough for the people, but there's no real room to maneuver and everyone has to move if someone needs to get up. :) So, for cookware storage I have a set of 24" drawers, for the dishes I have a shelf, and between the studs storage for glasses and mugs. There's also a little storage above the fridge and oven, but I don't want to use it for cookware other than the 20" wood carving board. The "pantry" is three wire baskets in a moveable cart with drop leaves that tucks away between the side of the cooktop cabinet and the washer door. I kind of cheated and used my own 24" self imported induction cooktop. After reading Johnliu's list, I just couldn't deal with the single element Miele 15" or the other, wimpy dominoes. The paper towels would go in a basket in the cart, which pulls out and becomes an island with the drop leaves up. The foil, parchment and plastic bags can go in the between the studs storage, along with small bottles and jars, or in the cart drawer with the tea towels and pot holders. There's room for cleaning supplies, including: telescoping broom and mop compact mop bucket cleaning supply caddy with nesting bucket collapsible 13 gallon lidded trash can--a frame which holds the bag, then flattens to 2.6" Sponge holder suctions to sink side. Press-with-back-of-hand soap dispenser sits on counter. Clothes iron hides behind a sliding cover on the shelves folding Ironing board and Drying rack hang on bathroom door. Side of shelving case is reinforced and has hooks to hold the four chairs, when folded, 6" thick, total. Top drawer has a compact flatware organizer which can hold the four settings of seven pieces and five hostess pieces: tea spoons soup spoons salad forks dinner fork table knives appetizer spoons appetizer forks serving fork serving spoon slotted serving spoon sugar spoon butter knife Utensils: Infrared/themocouple thermometer Shun Classic Hollow-ground 8" chef's knife with edge guard Shun Classic honing steel (I decided the cook could take the knife out for proper sharpening rather than making room for a stone set) Normann Copenhagen nut cracker Rachael Ray peeler with attached vegetable brush Norpro stamped steel church key for...