Brown sugar as used in the US is thin-grained and moist, and the standard way to measure it is by pressing it down into the measuring cup, not because you want it in a chunk but just to be sure you have a full measure with no holes or air spaces. That is, no, it doesn't flow of its own accord like white sugar, it's heavy, sticky, and clumpy. I'm not sure it would really be considered a dry ingredient; in any case, I agree that you probably can't sift it.

See if this helps:

Siehe auch: packed brown sugar

"Firmly packed" really only makes sense when you measure your 3/4 cup. You press the sugar down into the measuring cup, as hm--us says. Since the recipe also mentions 160 g, you can skip the pressing if you've got kitchen scales :)

Maybe "runtergedrueckt".

@3:

Maybe not ...

also:

3/4 cup firmly packed (or 16og) brown sugar

Danke viele Male.

Hätte ich auch selbst darauf kommen können.

Ich hatte auch schwach in Erinnerung das Zucker schon öfter Thema war, habe aber auch die alten Fäden in LEO nicht gefunden.

I'm am totally curious now, Woody. What do you do to your brown sugar when you are baking? (What you do in "German"?)

3/4 cup firmly packed (or 16og) brown sugar
That looks good, Pachulke.
Are you making a carrot cake? Happy baking!

*What do you do to your brown sugar when you are baking? (What you do in "German"?)*

Well, we may measure it, we may weigh it - as accurately as possible, of course, i.e. "with no holes or air spaces" (quote #1) ...

But I have definitely never seen the word "runtergedrückt" in any German baking recipe - and I doubt if anybody would understand what you mean in this particular context.

Unter "runtergedrückt" in diesem Kontext verstünde ich, ein gewisses Volumenmaß an Zucker oder Mehl oder was auch immer, wo ich das lose Zeug ordentlich komprimiere, um soviel an Masse auf das genannte Volumen zu kriegen, wie irgend möglich.
Ich würde das allerdings nicht als sonderlich idiomatisch bezeichnen.

@9:

M.E. könnte man allenfalls noch sagen bzw. schreiben:

"160 g braunen Zucker gut im Messbecher/Messlöffel festdrücken/zusammenpressen" ...

aber "runtergedrückt" allein ergibt in diesem Zusammenhang wohl keinen rechten Sinn. (Wo "runter"?)

Das Tasse/Löffel-Konzept, also Uebersetzung von Gewicht in Volumen ist in Deutschland viel weniger ausgefeilt und auch weniger benutzt, als in den USA und Australien*.

Allerdings gibt es kegel- oder trichterförmige Messbecher aus Blech oder Plasik, mit mehreren Grammskalen nebeneinander für gängige Ingredientien wie Zucker, Mehl, Flüssigkeit, Hülsenfrüchte etc.

Gerade gesehen in unserem Little-Britain-Shop: schnapsglasgrosses Plastikmessbecherchen mit Skalen für cups, spoons, gramms und, für die ganz Doofen, liter & cubique cm. War mir mit ca. 6 € für ein kleines Stück Plexiglas zu teuer.

http://www.viva-haushaltswaren.de/haushaltswa...
Donnerwetter: "Mit aufgedruckter, 6-sprachiger Feinmessskala" !!!
Meine Kuchen sprechen nur lateinisch.

Gerda ist die deutsche Traditionsmarke für Plastikzeugs in der Küche. Schon Eure Grossmutter hat sich auf Gerda verlassen.

http://www.helpster.de/zucker-in-ml-so-rechne...
Zucker in ml - so rechnen Sie Gewicht in Volumen um

Was aber tun, wenn der Messbecher nur eine Einteilung für Wasser hat? Hier helfen zwei einfache Faustformeln: Locker geschütteter Zucker kann wie Wasser abgemessen werden, das heißt, 100 ml Wasser entsprechen 100 g Zucker. Dass Zucker und Wasser in diesem Fall eine ähnliche Dichte haben, liegt an der Luft zwischen den kleinen Zuckerkristallen.
Für Mehl, das feiner und leichter ist, ist die Sache etwas komplizierter. Die Faustformel lautet hier: Schütten Sie Mehl in einen Messbecher, so entsprechen der 200-ml-Marke gut 125 g Mehl.
Ein gutes Mehlmaß ist auch ein normaler Esslöffel: Wollen Sie 100 g Mehl abwiegen, so entspricht dieses Gewicht etwa 3 gut gehäuften Esslöffeln.


*) Mein Rezept in #0 stammt aus Australien.

The thing is, if you don't have the right kind of brown sugar with the right consistency (which evidently takes some searching for in Germany, as it's not just brown-colored sugar of the kind served with coffee), you may need to use white sugar and add molasses or something else sticky, as described in the other thread. Just converting volume to weight won't help if you're measuring a different kind of sugar in the first place. So I hope you were able to check out the previous discussion.

Commercial brown sugar in the United States is really just white sugar with molasses added to it. I no longer bother keeping brown sugar in my kitchen. Instead I keep a jar of molasses. If the recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of firmly packed brown sugar, I measure out a 1/2 cup of white sugar, and then add a dollop of molasses. Sometimes recipes will specify light or dark brown sugar. So the amount of molasses varies. If you are really particular, you can measure out the white sugar, and then mix the molasses into the sugar before adding it to the other ingredients. That way you can judge how dark the mixture is. But be sure to not to use black strap molasses. Black strap molasses is a by-product of sugar product and is different from regular molasses, which in AE is labeled as "unsulphured." Apparently black strap molasses, which some people use as a medicinal product, contains sulphur.

I no longer bother keeping brown sugar in my kitchen. Instead I keep a jar of molasses. [...] But be sure to not to use black strap molasses. Black strap molasses is a by-product of sugar product and is different from regular molasses, which in AE is labeled as "unsulphured." Apparently black strap molasses, which some people use as a medicinal product, contains sulphur.

#13, Autor Sharper 

Wobei wir schon beim nächsten Problem wären:
 
was ist Molasse/Melasse,
unter welchem Handelsnamen wird sie verkauft und
wo bekommt man sie in Deutschland?

http://www.pelastop.de/2007/07/17/molasse/

http://www.grafschafter.de/web/produkte/golds... ?

http://www.sirop-de-liege.com/en ?

http://www.deutsche-melasse.de/

Ich habe Zweifel, ob das "Rezept" #13 bei grösseren Mengen funktioniert, denn Hauptmerkmal der Melasse ist der Zuckergehalt, der um 48% liegt, will sagen, man müsste entsprechend weniger Weisszucker nehmen.

Allerdings sind nach meinem Gusto die meisten Rezepte sowieso zu süss, so auch die cup-cakes, mit denen ich in #0 diesen Faden gestartet habe und die jetzt schon weitgehend verzehrt sind. Deshalb frage ich mich, warum es derart präzise Zuckerangeben in Rezepten gibt, dass es auf "firmly packed" ankommt oder nicht.

Laut Rezept ausgerechnet 160 g Zucker, warum nicht 150 oder 175 g? Vermutlich weil es einer irgendeiner Hausfrau gerade so in den Sinn kam oder ist so etwas getestet vom Kochbuchverlag, à la mehr Zucker karamelisiert und macht die Kinder dick, weniger macht den Kuchen bröckelig?

Laut Rezept ausgerechnet 160 g Zucker, warum nicht 150 oder 175 g?
Because that's the conversion from 3/4 cup, added for Europeans to read.

You can usually get Zuckerrohrmelasse in Reformhäuser here in DE.
https://www.google.de/search?client=opera&rls...

Regarding molasses and brown sugar:
Yes, I've seen molasses in some "Reformhäuser" -- never bought it though, so I'm not sure how it compares with unsulfured molasses in the US, but it looks like it should be OK.

#14 includes a link to "Grafschafter Goldsaft." While that's what I use to add to white sugar as a molasses substitute, it isn't true cane sugar molasses and does take a bit different than molasses -- perhaps a bit milder. Still, I find that it works quite well. (Funny, I still have a package of US dark brown sugar frozen in my freezer (keeps it from drying out) and I have part of jar of US molasses in my cupboard -- but I always substitute Goldsaft and white sugar when I need brown sugar.)

Earlier, the crystal size of German (brown/"roh") sugars was mentioned. I find German white sugar in general to be more coarsely grained than US sugar. When I suspect that the standard German white sugar won't dissolve well, I buy the finer (i.e. more expensive) type that typically comes in smaller packages than the normal white sugar.

As others have indicated, you'd never sift brown sugar and it wouldn't be considered a "dry ingredient." It's often beaten into butter/shortening/oil first (if your recipe has something like that), perhaps eggs. After that, you add the sifted dry ingredients (likely flour, baking powder, baking soda.)

Some hints on baking with cups, etc....
In the US, baking cups are standardized. A baking cup holds a volume of 240 ml. A tablespoon holds about 15 ml, a teaspoon about 5 ml -- Ikea has a relatively useful set of measuring spoons at times. Finding measuring cups is a bit more difficult, but I have found that some coffee cups hold close to 240 ml.
Thus, almost all ingredients (liquids, fats and dry ingredients) for baking in the US are measured by volume, not mass. (I find that both systems have their pluses and minuses, so I've created my own "mixed" system.)

@ Pachulke (#14): My experience with quite a few recipes is that the exact measurement of the molasses doesn't really much matter when the recipe calls for brown sugar. The sweetness is supplied by the white sugar, and the relatively small quantity of molasses is contributing its unique flavor rather than sweetness.

Because molasses is liquid, when it combines with the white sugar, it readily flow between the grains of sugar and really do not affect the amount of sugar needed to fill the measuring cup (see the substitute chart below).

If, as hbberlin (#16) notes, German white sugar is coarser than American, then it is even less likely that the molasses will affect the measurement. But if one wants to, measure out half a cup of white sugar, add some molasses, mix it well, and pack it back into the measuring cup to remeasure before adding it to the recipe.

You may find the following chart useful:

cake flour (one cup sifted/lightly spooned/dip and sweep): 100/114/130 grams
all-purpose flour (one cup sifted/lightly spooned/dip and sweep): 114/121/145 grams
bread flour (one cup sifted/lightly spooned/dip and sweep): 121/130/157 grams

Note the three different methods for filling the measuring cup. You are usually best using the lightly spooned method as the standard. Even when the recipe calls for sifted, it is never clear to me whether one is to measure before or after sifting. For convenience I now measure before sifting.

whole wheat flour (one cup sifted): 125 grams
sugar, granulated or superfine (one cup): 200 grams
light brown sugar (packed): 217 grams
dark brown sugar (packed): 239 grams
powdered sugar (lightly spooned): 115 grams

Substitutions:

1 cup light brown sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 cup dark brown sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

One reason I have stopped worrying so much about the exactness of these measures is that the size of eggs is so highly variable, that any recipe that calls for eggs is already relatively imprecise. When I am trying to be really careful, I weigh my eggs:

1 large egg without shell: 50 grams
1 large egg white: 30 grams
1 large egg yolk: 18.6 grams

Unless otherwise specified, American recipes normally assume large eggs. But I find they never meet the weights suggested by this chart. When I feel like the eggs look smallish, I go by weight.

These dry measure/weight conversions are all from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Was es nicht alles für Unterschiede beim Zucker gibt!

Zwei kleine Anmerkungen noch: Pachulke sagte, sein Rezept ist aus Australien. "Brown Sugar", den ich hier im Supermarkt kaufe, ist trocken, rieselt, und sieht im Wesentlichen aus wie weißer Zucker, bloß halt braun. Das fällt definitv unter "dry ingredient", aus meiner Sicht. Ist er feucht, wie ihr ihn hier beschreibt, heißt er "Raw Brown Sugar".
Außerdem vielleicht auch nicht ganz unwesentlich: australische cups sind größer als US-Cups: 1 cup = 250 ml. Vielleicht nicht ganz unwesentlich, je nachdem, wie genau man seine Kuchenrezepte nimmt.

The more I read this thread, the more I think these cupcakes will turn out like the ones left out in the rain.

There is "granulated brown sugar", which differs from regular brown sugar.

Das ist schon richtig, daß die beiden Zuckerarten sich unterscheiden. Nur heißt meines Wissens nach an dem Ort, aus dem scheinbar Pachulkes Rezept stammt, das was Amerikaner offenbar "granulated brown sugar" nennen einfach nur "brown sugar", während das was Amerikaner einfach nur "brown sugar" nennen an eben diesem Ort "raw brown sugar" heißt. Meiner Beobachtung in örtlichen Supermärkten nach jedenfalls.

Sag ich ja nur so, denn es könnte ja sein, daß sich der Rezeptschreiber den ortsüblichen Benennungs-Gepflogenheiten angepasst hat, statt der amerikanischen. Und falls das der Fall ist, kann man sich den Aufwand mit 'weißen Zucker mit Molasse mischen und dafür was von der Gesamtmenge abziehen' sparen, denn feuchter, brauner Zucker wäre dann nicht gemeint.

Was soll das jetzt heißen?

Was soll das jetzt heißen?
#22 Autor Ffive


(F5 hat Edith leider keine Zeit zur aktualisierung gelassen gelassen.)

Ein Hinweis wie multikultiproblematisch schon allein der Zucker ist.
Und das Mehl auch:

whole wheat flour (one cup sifted): 125 grams

These dry measure/weight conversions are all from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.
#17 Autor Sharper

Was auch nicht leicht zu verwenden ist, da die Deutschen eine eigene Mehltypisierung haben:

http://80.190.158.5/forum/viewUnsolvedquery.p...

Since the recipe specifies firmly packed brown sugar, I would assume it is talking about American-style brown sugar, which is moist. You really can't pack flowing, granulated sugar.

Raw sugar (or raw unrefined sugar) is sugar that has not been bleached. It is not the same as brown sugar, even though raw sugar has a brownish hue.

When it comes to choosing sugar, there is no doubt that unrefined raw sugar is the best choice. It contains minerals and nutrients that are stripped from refined white sugar and regular brown sugar. Raw sugar contains roughly eleven calories per teaspoon and has the same vitamin and mineral consistency that is found in the juice from the sugarcane plant. These minerals include Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium. In addition, when sugar is refined and processed there are many harmful ingredients that are added to the sugar as a result. Unrefined raw sugar does not have these harmful chemicals. Some of these include: Phosphoric Acid, Sulfur Dioxide, and Formic Acid.
 
With the increase of Diabetes and obesity in the country, it is imperative that people take a look at the type of sweeteners that they are using. It is important to make sure that you are not using excessive amounts of sugar, specifically refined white sugar in your diet. There are many natural sweeteners that will not detract from your health, but are an enhancement an offer nutritional benefits as well. In addition to unrefined raw sugar, honey is also a wonderful sweetener that offers nutritional benefits as well.
 
It is very important to make sure that you don't mistake unrefined raw sugar with brown sugar that is available in your grocery store. Brown sugar is sugar that has been refined and then molasses has been added to it. Brown sugar varies in color according to the amount of molasses that has been added to it. Like white refined sugar, brown sugar does not have the nutritional content found in unrefined. Both white refined and brown sugar are comprised of sucrose.

Source: http://www.naturalorganiclifestyle.com/unrefi...

Regarding the different kinds of flour, I have never been able to make sense of the German system. What uses are associated with the different numbers? In the American system, the flours differ by the amount of gluten in the flour. Cake and pastry flour are very low gluten, all-purpose is has a moderate gluten content, and bread flour has a high gluten content. The amount of gluten in the flour has a direct impact on the finished product, since the gluten becomes tough and stretchy when the dough is kneaded, high gluten four is used for bread, but it will make cakes and pie crusts tough and chewy.

@ Pachulke: I have seen that type of chart before, but from the viewpoint of an American cook, the whole system fails to address the key reason why I select one flour over another when I am baking. The article states that the protein content is 10% to 12% (of which 80% is gluten). This suggests that all flours in Germany, regardless of their DIN have the same gluten content. Thus German flour appears to have the gluten content at the higher end of the range for American "all purpose" flour.

While this would work for baking bread and OK for some styles of cake, many American cake recipes specify cake flour, which is low-gluten. Many of the bake goods from the American South also need a low gluten flour, since the wheat traditional grown there was low gluten.

Here is a quotation from a website that discusses how flours with different gluten levels are used in American baking:

Subject: 3. What is the protein or gluten content of various flours?

Cake flour is typically 7-9% protein; pastry, or cookie, ~9-10%; all purpose, 10-12%, bread, 12.5-13.5%, clear and high gluten, 14-15%; gluten "flour" (actually refined gluten), 45%. The protein consists of ~80% gluten, and the gluten of cake flour is weakest, and bread and high gluten flour the strongest, and the intermediate ones increasingly stronger. Gluten is more of less made up of equal parts of gliadin and glutenin.

Gluten strength definition and measurement are not entirely well understood, even by cereal chemists. Generally, you want the most protein and strongest gluten for bagels and breads that also use other poor or non-gluten flours such as rye or oat; moderately strong for all wheat bread; weaker for pastries and cookies; still weaker for cakes such as pound cakes; yet still weaker for "high-ratio," rich cakes; and weakest for angel food cakes. One of the quality tests for soft wheat flour is the "cookie spread test, which is one measure of this. There are also farinographs, elastographs, and whatnot to further attempt to measure this elusive property. Fortunately, with most flours, increasing protein content goes along with increasing gluten strength. Source: http://www.nyx.net/~dgreenw/whatistheproteino...

While this would work for baking bread and OK for some styles of cake, many American cake recipes specify cake flour, which is low-gluten.

Viele deutsche Kuchenrezepte verlangen neben dem Weizenmehl (mit "deutschem Standard-Gluten-Gehalt") noch Kartoffelmehl oder Stärke (was glutenfrei ist). Und zwar in unterschiedlichen Mehl-Stärke-Mischungen, je nachdem wie locker der Kuchen werden soll. Je lockerer, umso mehr Stärke wird zugemischt, vor allem für Biskuitteige. Das dürfte dann wohl einen ähnlichen Effekt haben, der bei amerikanischen Rezepten durch unterschiedliche Glutengehälter direkt im Weizenmehl erzielt wird?

Die Nummern beim deutschen Mehl sagen mir eher, wie "herzhaft" der Teig werden wird. Für Kuchen möchte ich eher nicht, daß man das Korn schmeckt, da nehme ich das 405er Mehl. Für Brot mag ich den herzhaften Getreidegeschmack, da nehm ich dann zB 1050er Mehl.

Im Großen und Ganzen kann man über das deutsche System vielleicht sagen:

Für Brot und Brötchen: je "vollkorniger" der Geschmack sein soll, umso höher die Nummer des Mehls.
Für Kuchen: immer "geschmacksneutrales" 405er, und je lockerer der Kuchen werden soll, umso mehr Stärke zugeben.

Backe aber nur für mich selber daheim, hab das nie richtig gelernt - also alles mit Vorsicht genießen (pun intended ;-))!

Ich dachte immer das glutenfreie Mehl in den USA wäre für Leute mit bestimmten Krankheiten oder modische Allergiker, hat ja jetzt jeder seine Allergie, und letztens, seit auch jeder deutsche Bäcker glutenfreies Brot anbietet, habe ich mir zusammengereimt, das sei vermutlich für die Ueberhand nehmenden Uebergewichtigen.

In Deutschland könnte man dann vielleicht Vollrohrzucker nehmen, wenn man nicht selber mischen will, der enthält noch die Melasse. (Nicht verwechseln mit Rohrohrzucker, das ist trockener, rieseliger Rohrzucker.) Das ist auch eher ein Reformhausprodukt, aber relativ einfach zu bekommen.

Gluten-free products really has nothing to do with the different types of wheat flour. All wheat contains gluten, so all wheat flours are unsafe for those who can not safely eat gluten. I doubt if any gluten-free products ever contain wheat.

That being said, the level of gluten in different strains of wheat does vary substantially, and in the United States the level of gluten in the flour and the suitable use of the flour is indicated by the name of the flour (cake flour, pastry flour, all-purpose and bread). Note that the gluten content has nothing to do with whether the flour is whole-grain or white. (Although I have never seen whole-grain cake flour, one can readily buy whole-grain pastry flour, which is a low-gluten flour).

I think Pelikan's comment (#27) explains how German cooks deal with having available only a relatively high-gluten all-purpose flour when making pastries and cakes that need low gluten: replace a portion of the flour with potato starch or corn starch. In the United States recipes and cookbooks suggest exactly this when a cook needs cake flour but has only all-purpose at hand. I wish I had known to do that the time I made a pie in Germany for friends. The crust came out very tough and (to my mind) inedible, instead of tender and flaky.

Can you get hold of "Muskovade" ("muscovado sugar"), Pachulke?
http://www.lebensmittellexikon.de/m0000360.php
I use muscovado sugar and what we Brits call "soft brown sugar" (for the sticky type of brown sugar) interchangeably in my recipes.

A propos

die Melasse
schwarzer Rübensirup
der Sirup
die Zuckerlösung

Siehe Wörterbuch: treacle

Siehe auch: treacle sugar

Siehe auch: It's the treacle sponge here that's my undoing.

**************************************************

Siehe auch: golden caster sugar

In Vienna, I found light brown sugar and dark brown sugar at Bobby's FoodStore (www.bobbys.at) (+43 (0) 1 5867534. This Britishe store is open M-F 10:00 - 18:30 and Sat 10:00 - 18:00, it is close to Karlsplatz.

Schleifmühlgasse 8
1040 Wien

Anfahrtsmöglichkeiten:
U1/U2/U4 Karlsplatz | 59A Schleifmühlgasse | Linie 1 & 46 Paulanergasse | Badnerbahn Paulanergasse

http://www.bobbys.at/


The store actually had two different brands of brown sugar. I also found Crisco shortening, Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips, and cream of tartar. They were out of baking powder. I cannot recall if they told me the unsweetened baking chocolate was out or that they did not carry it.

I also saw Jif peanut butter, Aunt Jemima pancake mix and pancake syrup. For the Brits, I saw Marmite and many other British foodstuffs.

Jackpot!!!
Enjoy your weekend! (baking??)
:) :)

*winkzuRES-can*

A twelve-year-old friend wants to make cookies, I think to take to a party. Probably looking at chocolate chip cookies and brownies during the baking session.

firmly packed (OP)

"...just to be sure you have a full measure with no holes or air spaces." (#1; sowie auch #6, #8 ff.)

Ein einfacher und sogar biblisch belegter Weg zur Vermeidung von Luftlöchern usw. besteht darin, das Maßgefäß zu rütteln.

Lukas 6, 38: "Gebt, so wird euch gegeben. Ein volles, gedrücktes, gerütteltes und überfließendes Maß wird man in euren Schoß geben; denn eben mit dem Maß, mit dem ihr messt, wird man euch wieder messen."

Vgl.: "ein gerüttelt Maß; umgangssprachlich; Das Maß wurde gerüttelt, um noch mehr hineinzubekommen. Der Begriff stammt aus dem früheren Getreidehandel mit dem Scheffel (Hohlmaß). Der Käufer hatte Interesse an einem "gerüttelt Maß". Seit dem frühen 19. Jahrhundert mussten die Maße "gestrichen voll" sein - und nicht etwa mehr oder weniger; ..."
http://www.redensarten-index.de/suche.php?suc...

und: "ein gerütteltes masz, ein glatt bis an den rand gefülltes, dicht volles masz, im gegensatze zu einer geringeren menge oder dem gehäuften masz; ebenso gerüttelt voll. gerütteltes masz in bildlicher anwendung: und mir wird mit vollem, gerütteltem und geschütteltem maas gerechtigkeit widerfahren. ..." http://woerterbuchnetz.de/cgi-bin/WBNetz/wbgu... (Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm)

RE #36: Given the consistency of American-type brown sugar, shaking by hand won't really eliminate the air or lead to a firmly packed measure. You really do have to press the sugar together to measure it properly.

Since I generally cut down on the sugar in my cooking, I don't pack the brown sugar, but I am a sloppy baker and I wouldn't recommend that to someone trying to reproduce a recipe consistently.

I know soft brown sugar as "Muscovado sugar". It's very fine and would have to be sieved as it sticks together so much.

re #37: Ich hatte den unter dem Namen Mascobado http://www.bioalaune.com/sites/default/files/... erhältlichen Zucker vor Augen. Dessen Rieselfähigkeit entspricht zwar bei weitem nicht der von raffiniertem Kristallzucker, aber in meiner bescheidenen Küchenpraxis hat er sich meinem Rütteln noch immer gefügt und ist brav in sich zusammengesackt... ;-)

There's all the difference in the world between Muscovado and Demarara. (Okay, they're both brownish, and both sweet.) To use a recipe that doesn't distinguish between them could result in a surprise.

Measuring solid ingredients by volume and not by weight is asking for trouble.

There's all the difference in the world between Muscovado and Demarara. (Okay, they're both brownish, and both sweet.) To use a recipe that doesn't distinguish between them could result in a surprise.

#40Verfasser escoville

https://floridacrystals.com/Products.aspx?id=3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_brown_sugar

Heisst der Zucker nicht "DemErara"?
Siehe auch: light muscovado and golden caster sugar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demerara

The name "Demerara" comes from a variant of the Arawak word "Immenary" or "Dumaruni" which means "river of the letter wood".[1] Demerara sugar is so named because originally it came from sugar cane fields in the colony of Demerara.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscovado

Muscovado is a type of unrefined brown sugar with a strong molasses flavor. It is technically considered a Non-centrifugal cane sugar.

Also known as "Barbados sugar", "molasses sugar" or "moist sugar", muscovado is very dark brown and slightly coarser and stickier than most brown sugars. Muscovado takes its flavor and color from its source, sugarcane juice. It offers good resistance to high temperatures and has a reasonably long shelf life. It is commonly used in baking recipes and making rum. Muscovado sugar can be used in most recipes where brown sugar is called for, by slightly reducing the liquid content of the recipe

I've never heard of Muscovado sugar, but a suspicion is creeping in that this may be at least partly an AE/BE case.

Here's my hypothesis:

brown sugar AE = Muscovado sugar BE
(moist, heavy, made with molasses, used in cooking; tends to clump, must be packed to measure by volume)

vs.

unrefined/raw sugar AE = Demerara sugar BE
(pale brown, larger crystals than white sugar, used with coffee; can be shaken and poured like sugar or salt)

?

However, that doesn't fully account for light vs. dark brown sugar AE. Both are moist and made with molasses, but dark is, well, darker. It's possible that Muscovado is only that type.

Anyway, measuring by volume, as all Americans have done for ages, is perfectly fine as long as you know what ingredient you're measuring. In the case of 'brown sugar,' however, it seems clear that you need to know which kind a particular recipe means. Aus/NZ might complicate the issue still further.

Sorry about the typo above.

In Germany you can (in fact, unless you look hard, usually do) get brown sugars that are neither demerara nor muscavado, but taste like coarse white sugar. The taste of demerara is quite distinctive.

@#40 Measuring solid ingredients by volume and not by weight is asking for trouble.

I guess all of the cooks who gladly and successfully bake/cook by volume and not by weight (including those who use those "Messbecher" with weights of certain ingredients already converted into a volume) risk failure every time they measure something out. ;-)

For ingredients like flour, neither system is 100% satisfactory. Measure by volume and the actual amount of flour will depend on how much air it contains by sieving. Measure by weight, and the actual amount of flour will depend on its moisture content -- even a change in humidity makes a difference.

I use either system, depending on the source of my recipe. Both work. Both have strengths and weaknesses. Often, I mix the two. I don't like measuring flour and messy things like butter and shortening by volume. I have my standard weights for converting flour (volume) to flour (weight), so I "weigh out" three cups of flour. I assume that butter has the same density as water (not quite, but close enough for the government), so if something calls for a cup (about 240 ml) of butter I use around 240 g. On the other hand, I'd much rather measure out a half-teaspoon of salt or a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg than deal with trying to weigh out X grams of them.

Frankly, I use a mixture of the two.

@#33 The store actually had two different brands of brown sugar. I also found Crisco shortening, Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips, and cream of tartar. They were out of baking powder. 

You don't necessarily need to go to what is likely an expensive specialty shop for some of these ingredients (just as you can easily make your own soft brown sugar from sugar and molasses/sugarbeet syrup as discussed above)

Cream of tartar -- called "Weinstein" in German, and I have seen it in the baking supplies section of larger grocery stores. There is also "Weinstein-Backpulver" -- I'm sure if that's the same. It could possibly contain other ingredients.

Baking powder -- "Backpulver" readily available in little packages (like vanilla/vanillin sugar and dry yeast). For a while, I had my suspicions that the German variety differed from US baking powder, so I brought some US BP back with me and compared. Basically the same.

Baking soda -> Natron. You didn't mention it, but I've heard multiple people say it doesn't exist here. I also bought some Arm & Hammer from an "Asia" shop. Much cheaper than A&H available in specialty sections of larger grocery stores in Berlin.

Crisco. -> Backfett. (The type that is meant for baking, not just for frying). There are vegetable shortings available, often in the refrigerated section. More likely in sticks than in a can like Crisco. Their consistency is a bit firmer than Crisco, and their baking properties are a bit different, but they work just fine for many recipes. (I admit: I have a can of Crisco for "critical" uses.)

Chocolate chips: It's fairly easy to chop up a chocolate bar or two. Not quite the same. Sometimes better in flavor, sometimes not. Depends on the brand and on the recipe you're making.

Off course, availability and names in Vienna may differ from those here in Berlin.

Baking soda -> Natron. You didn't mention it, but I've heard multiple people say it doesn't exist here.

if by "here" you mean Germany, you (and multiple people) are mistaken. In my supermarket it comes in dark green paper sachets the size of Puddingpulver and is called "Kaiser-Natron"

http://www.wundermittel-natron.info/natron-an...
"Zudem ist Natron preiswert und in einer Apotheke, Drogerie oder im Supermarkt erhältlich."

Here: http://www.holste.de/kaisernatron.htm
(it's with the baking ingredients, although it seems to be used more for cleaning in Germany...)

Man nimmt Natron, um Kochkäse herzustellen, u.a.

@45: No, you misunderstood my comment. I said it is called "Natron." (I did mean to include the Kaiser name but got interrupted mid-stream on that one.)
I've seen it in cleaning supplies, health supplies (but don't confuse it with the Kaiser tablets used for relief of heartburn) as well as in the baking supplies. If I recall correctly, when it's with the baking supplies, it tends to be in small packets, like baking power and vanilla sugar. In the other areas, it's been in more affordable boxes. Don't confuse baking soda/Natron with washing soda/Natriumcarbonat (Waschsoda, etc.). Although they can both be used in cooking, if a recipe calls for "baking soda," it means "Natriumhydrogencarbonat." I believe they would react in (slightly) differing manners, and it looks like baking soda is a bit more stable and safer.

Baking soda is also used for cleaning in the US (as well as in a wide variety of other ways). If I have a pan that doesn't come clean easily, I add some water, a bunch of baking soda, and a drop or two of dishwashing liquid to it, bring it to a boil (carefully, it foams), turn off the heat and let it stand for a bit. Much easier to clean after that. I also add it to coffee thermoses that have been filled with water if I want to get rid of the coffee oils and smell. (However, if I want to do that really quickly I just dump in some bleach and swirl that around...drives my German husband nuts for some reason.)

(However, if I want to do that really quickly I just dump in some bleach and swirl that around...drives my German husband nuts for some reason.)
Wenn Du das mit meiner Teethermoskanne machen würdest, müsste ich Dich auch für immer aus meiner Küche verbannen. Deutsche verbinden im Allgemeinen den Geruch von Chlor nicht mit Sauberkeit, sondern mit öffentlichen Schwimmbädern und brennenden Augen und Schleimhäuten.
Im Trinkwasser oder in sonstigen Lebensmitteln kann ich den Geruch gar nicht haben.

" Deutsche verbinden im Allgemeinen den Geruch von Chlor nicht mit Sauberkeit, sondern mit öffentlichen Schwimmbädern und brennenden Augen und Schleimhäuten. "
... und auch mit Toilettenreinigern. Daher würde mich solches Verfahren mit Küchenutensilien auch massiv befremden.

OT Für Kaffethermoskannen haben meine Eltern schon alles ausprobiert, von Zahnprothesenreiniger bis keine-Ahnung-was. Jetzt haben sie als überzeugte Handspüler extra dafür Spülmaschinentabs im Haus und keine Probleme mehr mit der Kanne.

müsste ich Dich auch für immer aus meiner Küche verbannen
massiv befremden

What's the big deal? I don't terribly love the smell of chlorine bleach either, but it rinses out of such hard-surfaced utensils quickly and thoroughly. Much more appetizing to have a couple of minutes of chlorine smell than coffee that tastes like tea or v.v.

Dishwasher tablets are also good at cleaning (I've used them for other tough cleaning jobs) -- they also contain oxygen-based bleach (which likely makes them quite good for thermos bottles), but they aren't exactly lightweight. The packaging includes a nice long list of warnings.

OT re chlorine bleach... that's what they toss down wells to purify drinking water if needed.....

Dishwasher tablets are also good at cleaning (I've used them for other tough cleaning jobs) -- they also contain oxygen-based bleach (which likely makes them quite good for thermos bottles), but they aren't exactly lightweight. The packaging includes a nice long list of warnings.
#51Verfasser hbberlin

Neben dishwasher tablets [All-in-three?] eignen sich auch Gebissreinigungspastillen zum selbständigen reinigen aller möglichen Gegenstände und ich vermute ganz besonders für Dinge, die mit Esswaren in Kontakt kommen.

Ich bediene mich immer noch bei dem ererbten Vorrat nach meinen Grosseltern.

http://www.kukident.de/pflege_hygiene.php
http://www.corega.de/corega_tabs/index.jsp

Und aus Frankreich importiere ich immerwenn sich die Gelegenhei bietet Gel oder Tabletten zum Herstellen von Eau Javel in beliebiger Konzentration.

Siehe auch: Javelle ( eau de Javel - aucj Javelle) - Javel

Siehe auch: parfümiert - #40

Siehe auch: [fr-de] eau de javel

It is still the case that there are some things that are difficult to get in one country or another. For example, it is very difficult in Germany to get low-sodium salt except at a ridiculous price in small quantities from chemists (like olive oil in England until about 1975). In England low-sodium salt costs about a pound per pound in supermarkets. (Also, in Germany, you may find yourself unwittingly buying iodized salt, almost unobtainable elsewhere, which for some reason Germans regard as 'healthy'.)

But then in England you can't get pectin flakes, the surefire natural cholesterol-lowerer.

Re the discussion of baking powder above. A baking powder must consist of an acid and an alkaline component that, when mixed and heated, produce carbon dioxide. The components are usually cream of tartar and sodium bicarb respectively. The proportions have to be right if one is to completely neutralize the other (and thus produce maximum CO2), and can be worked out by calculating the atomic weights of each. They are 188:84 or 47:21. As sodium bicarb is cheaper, cheap baking powder tends to have more of that, which produces an unpleasant alkaline taste (as well as requiring you to use more of it). You can quite easily mix your own, except that in Germany, cream of tartar is not *easily* available.

@hhberlin (#44) - You can only make brown sugar from white sugar and molasses if you can find molasses. I resorted to the British shop because I could not find brown sugar nor molasses at several of the other regular stores I visited. I did find baking soda at Meinl, but they did not have molasses nor brown sugar. Once at the store, it was easiest to just buy all the ingredients needed rather than going to several stores after having to have consult and research on LEO the German substitutes for items.

I also chose to spend the money for the items I normally use because I was working with a 12-year-old whose mother generally does not bake. I wanted it to be a fun successful experience for the 12-year-old and be assured that the cookies would taste as I would expect them. By using the ingredients that I always use ensured the result I wanted to achieve.

I was not able to find all my usual ingredients and the right type of pan for the brownies so the brownies turned out differently than when I make them at home. I did find the backpulver and used that in the brownies, maybe this was one of the differences and maybe not. I think one of the bigger issues was having to use a glass baking dish instead of a metal pan. Could not find unsweetened dark baking chocolate, so had to use a sweetened supposed baking chocolate and then wing how much sugar to use (mixed in a quarter cup less and taste the batter after the chocolate was added to see if I needed to add in more sugar).

@RES-can - It was more or less a successful baking session on Saturday. We managed a batch of chocolate chips cookies (three trays - ~28 cookies), a batch of pancakes, and a pan of brownies. The chocolate chip cookies turned out great. Others said the brownies tasted good but for me were not the consistency of the ones I make here. Similar issue last time we tried making them over there, still think the pyrex baking dish might be the issue. I may have to try cooking a batch here in the pyrex baking dish and see if the same thing happens. Results may determine a Christmas present.;-) Almost had to turn the baking lesson/English to include a math lesson. We were having trouble locating the 8 x 8 dish and thought we might have to use the 8 x 12 pan, so I was guessing that we might have to multiply the recipe by 1.5. I have a feeling that my baking partner might be heading towards only being able to bake in English. I am still wondering if they took my suggestion that at the party that anyone wanting a cookie would have to ask for the cookies in English which only seemed fair after they had to spend the afternoon writing/reading/learning baking techniques/making the chocolate chip cookie recipe in English. Amazingly neither of us shed tears nor was any shouting involved and the kitchen was found neat and tidy after our afternoon.:-)

you may find yourself unwittingly buying iodized salt, almost unobtainable elsewhere, which for some reason Germans regard as 'healthy'

Die Deutschen - wie auch viele andere Nationen - haben sich das bei der WHO abgekupfert. Jodmangel ist ein weit verbreitetes Problem, insbesondere in Gegenden, die etwas weiter von der Küste entfernt liegen, wo oft wenig Fisch gegessen wird. Dies kann zu Hirnschädigungen und Lernbehinderungen aller Art vor allem (aber nicht nur!) bei Kindern führen. Jodmangel lässt sich aber sehr billig und effektiv mit Zugabe geringer Mengen von Jod im Speisesalz bekämpfen, weil das nun wirklich mal praktisch jeder konsumiert. Es ist schade, dass es immer noch (zum Glück längst nicht mehr so viele) Menschen gibt, die Jodsalz nur schwer bekommen können - trotz der positiven Effekte, die nahezu frei von irgendwelchen Risiken und zu extrem geringen Kosten zu haben wären. Sowohl die WHO als auch UNICEF unterstützen Programme, die die weitere Verbreitung von Jodsalz fördern (natürlich nicht "esst mehr Salz", sondern "wenn Salz, dann Jodsalz").
Siehe auch:
http://www.gainhealth.org/programs/USI
 
"Low-sodium salt" halte ich hingegen für ein äußerst merkwürdiges Phänomen. Immerhin ist Kochsalz nun einmal Natriumchlorid; wenn man das Natrium nicht will, kann man es also nicht einfach weglassen oder rausfiltern oder sonstwie "entfernen"; Natriumchlorid wird durch Kaliumchlorid ersetzt. Da Kaliumchlorid aber bitter und unglücklicherweise auch nicht sehr salzig schmeckt, verkauft man es als Salzersatz dann in einer Mischung - einer Mischung mit Natriumchlorid... Ob das mal Sinn macht? Mir scheint, man kann auch einfach weniger Natriumchlorid nehmen, ohne es mit Kaliumchlorid strecken zu müssen(*): Wenn man Natrium vermeiden will (Bluthochdruck o.ä.) sollte man salzarm kochen. Low-sodium salt ist mMn wie fettfreie Mayonaise ohne Ei.

(*)Es sei denn, man leidet unter Kaliummangel - dann ist das natürlich was anderes. Das ist aber wohl typischerweise nicht die Haupt-Motivation, low-sodium salt zu verwenden.

@snickerdoodle: How nice of you to back with that 12-year-old! Molasses is a bit tricky to find here in Berlin, too. That's why I started using Zuckerrübensirup, which is quite a good substitute. I've never seen molasses in a "regular" store here, but I have seen it in a number of health food stores (Reformhäuser). Of course, Vienna isn't Berlin, Austria isn't Germany, and the availability of various items surely differs.

A couple of thoughts about the brownies
Glass or metal: I think there's something about lowering the oven temp about 24 °F if using glass (need to verify that temperature difference).
The flour would make a difference, too, and I've had to adjust US recipes to compensate for that, but it's been trial and error. From what I've been able to gather, the "standard" flour in Germany, 405, is more akin to US pastry flour. The next grade, 550, is akin to US all purpose flour. 1050 is like US bread flour. (Of course, these same categories of US flours differ in "hardness" (amount of gluten/protein) from region to region and from brand to brand. AP flour in the South tends to be "softer" than the same variety in the North, for example.)

I know the Germans and Austrians categorize their flours differently. Here's a link to comparisons between D and A: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehl#Vergleich_d...

Regarding "Weinstein" and baking powder -- I saw "Weinstein-Backpulver" in the store last evening. It wasn't pure Weinstein (thus not a substitute for cream of tartar), but a mixture instead -- typical for baking power, as discussed in #54.

Something I've never seen in German stores is celery seed. I use just a bit of it in coleslaw, and like the flavor it adds. My German husband does, too. After years abroad, I finally used up the small jar I had brought from the States ages ago. I found it at a not-so-ridiculous price from a German supplier on Amazon, but it's not a small jar. I now have enough to last for several lifetimes. Good thing it stores well.

OT #56 trotz der positiven Effekte, die nahezu frei von irgendwelchen Risiken und zu extrem geringen Kosten zu haben wären

Supi, freut die Leute, die möglichst wenig Jod zu sich nehmen sollten. Wenn es nur um das Salz für zuhause ginge, wäre es kein Problem, dann kauft man halt das ohne. Leider ist Jodsalz auch versteckt in allem Möglichen, Jodzusatz muß in Deutschland nicht mal deklariert werden. Wenn also nur "Speisesalz" bei den Zutaten steht, kann es auch jodiert sein. Und bevor jetzt "dann kauf halt keine Fertigprodukte" kommt: Salz ist fast überall drin: Nudeln, Brot, Rotkohl, etc. pp. Und wer kann schon seinen eigenen Käse oder die eigene Wurst oder Schinken machen?

Für die meisten Menschen in Deutschland ist der Jodzusatz gut, aber für die anderen wäre es sehr hilfreich, wenn er zumindest deklariert werden müßte.

Die DGE und das Bundesamt für Risikobewertung behaupten, dass auch für die Patienten, für die überhöhte Jodzufuhr ein Problem wäre, keine negativen Folgen von der normalen Jodzufuhr über normale Lebensmittel zu ewarten seien.

BfR: "Andererseits besteht kein Risiko für eine Überversorgung der Bevölkerung mit Jod. Die in Deutschland auch für Menschen, die auf eine Jodbelastung empfindlich reagieren, als sicher erachtete maximale tägliche Aufnahme von 500 Mikrogramm Jod aus verschiedenen Quellen wird nicht überschritten." http://www.bfr.bund.de/de/a-z_index/jod-4600.html

Naja, eine Deklarationspflicht kann ja nie schaden.

Spricht etwas gegen eine Deklarartionspflicht?

Wie gesagt, ich bin nicht gegen die Jodierung von Salz, es wird deutlich mehr Menschen helfen als schaden. Aber warum schreibt man es nicht drauf?

Normbereichen traue ich auch nur als Anhaltspunkt über den Weg. Die werden teils von den Laboren selbst ermittelt, der Bereich, in dem 95% der in dem Labor untersuchten Gesunden liegen. Das ist einerseits nicht repräsentativ, da ohne Verdacht ja garnicht untersucht wird, zum anderen beißt es sich in den Schwanz, da die Aussage "gesund" ja auch aufgrund dieser Werte getroffen wird. Außerdem sind Menschen alle etwas anders, für den einen ist der Normbereich gut, ein andere liegt besser etwas außerhalb.

Das wird jetzt aber wirklich OT. Und der letzte Satz in #59 war eben noch nicht da :-).

Ja, sorry - ich schreib meistens zu Uhrzeiten, wenn auf LEO sehr wenig Betrieb ist, was die Edit-Anmerkungen irgendwie hinfällig macht - deswegen denk ich oft nicht dran...
Schiebe eine Edith nach: Edith... :-)

.... und entschuldige mich fürs Fadenkapern. Pachulke wollte ja gar nicht über Jod und Deklarierung desselben diskutieren :-)

Edith: und Du und ich ja eigentlich auch nicht ;-)

The notion that the amount of fish you eat has anything to do with how near you live to the coast is, in Europe, pretty strange. As is the notion that a standard European diet is iodine-deficient. It is odd that while much salt in Germany is iodized, if you try to buy iodine-rich food (such as seaweed) you will find a raucous health warning on the packet to that effect.

I find low-sodium salt a good idea. It tastes like salt, but doesn't have the fluid-retention properties of sodium chloride. The body will maintain constant salinity in its fluids of 0.9%. So if you consume an extra 9g of NaCl (about a teaspoon), the body will retain 1 litre of fluid to compensate. Given the salty nature of much processed food, I suspect that many overweight people are in fact carrying around several extra litres (kilos) of water.

The notion that the amount of fish you eat has anything to do with how near you live to the coast is, in Europe, pretty strange.
Warum? Heutzutage mag es Frishfisch in ausreichendem Maße geben. Aber Essensgewohnheiten tradieren sich über Generationen hinweg, etsprechend wird in Süddeutschland weit wengier Fisch gegessen als an der Küste, und wenn dann meist Süßwasserfische.

As is the notion that a standard European diet is iodine-deficient.
Europäisch ist hier eben zu weit gefaßt. Süddeutschland etwa ist Jod-Mangelgebiet; Kütengebiete werden es systematisch nicht sein.

It is odd that while much salt in Germany is iodized, if you try to buy iodine-rich food (such as seaweed) you will find a raucous health warning on the packet to that effect.
Die Dosis macht's halt. Es gibt ein zu viel und ein zu wenig.

Nee, escoville, ich denk mir das ehrlich nicht aus - kannst die WHO fragen! ;-) http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/VMN...

Gerade Europa, mit Ausnahme von Island, hatte immer schon massive Jodmangel-Probleme vor allem, aber nicht nur, im Gebirge (siehe Introduction). Und zwar mehr als jede andere Region der Welt: Je nach genauem Zeitpunkt und je nachdem, für welche Länder zu dem zeitpunkt Daten verfügbar waren, schätzt die WHO, dass in den 1990ern/frühen 2000ern 48% bis 57% der Bevölkerung Europas von Jodmangel betroffen waren, mit sogar noch etwas schlechteren Werten für Schulkinder. (Table 2.2 and 3.1) Mittlerweile ist es anscheinend besser, eben Dank weiterer Verbreitung von Jodsalz in fast allen Ländern Europas - bis auf ein Hand voll Ausnahmen, zu denen auch UK gehört. (Table 3.3) Im WHO-Bericht oben ist UK nicht mit drin, weil keine Daten verfügbar waren; mittlerweile gibt es aber offenbar eine Studie, und das Resultat ist nicht sehr überraschend - 70% der untersuchten Teenager litten an Jodmangel:
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-13034582

Was die Warnungen vor "zu viel" angeht, kann ich mich wor nur anschliessen: die Dosis macht's. Zufall, aber erstaunlich passend in dieser Diskussion: Das Kaliumchlorid im low-sodium salt ist gesundheitlich vollkommen unbedenklich in den Mengen, in denen Du es zum Kochen benutzt(*). Und grundsätzlich ist Kalium ja auch ein wichtiger Nährstoff. In größeren Mengen führt es aber zum Herzstillstand; daher die zwei tragischen, ganz anders gearteten Anwendungen von Kaliumchlorid: späte Schwangerschaftsabbrüche und Hinrichtungen (das ist leider kein schlechter Scherz). Das ist zwar gruselig, sagt letztlich aber eben nichts darüber aus, ob es in kleinen Mengen Bestandteil deiner Nahrung sein sollte. Mit Jod ist das halt auch nicht anders.

(*) Fürs Protokoll: meine Vorbehalte gegen das Produkt kommen bloß daher, dass eben dessen Salzigkeit hauptsächlich (wenn auch nicht ausschliesslich) von der Hälfte kommt, die ja eben doch gewöhnliches Kochsalz ist - nicht, dass es irgendwie schädlich wäre.

Sorry that my hypothesis in #42 was evidently so bad that hardly anyone responded to it. I'm still slightly curious, but what the heck, as long as snickerdoodle got her brownies baked for her 12-year-old (which really did sound highly successful despite all obstacles -- congratulations!), I suppose it doesn't matter in the larger picture.

I'm curious now about this so-called low-sodium salt, which sounds like such a contradiction in terms. Is that what we would call a salt substitute, and does it really taste like salt, and if so, where do you get it in the US? My dad has lost so much of his sense of taste, possibly related to dementia issues, that he tends to pour on both salt and sweetener. The only substitute seasoning I know of is Mrs. Dash, which is a blend of herbs, but if there was something that really tasted like salt, that might be a useful solution.

Iodized salt is the default as far as I know in the US as well, and I've never heard of any risks associated with it, only that it's intended to combat what was once a widespread nutritional deficiency. You can also get non-iodized, but I'm not aware of any move to label the sodium in (so many) other products with regard to iodine content. However, who knows, maybe it's there in the fine print in parentheses -- I'll keep an eye out.

Ich würd's ja kommentieren, habe aber keine Ahnung, was Demerara oder Muscovado ist...;-)

re low-sodium salt - ich hab nur das hier bisher ein paar mal benutzt: http://saxa.com.au/lowersodium.html Das ist 50% normales Sodium chloride, plus 50% Potassium chloride. Es gibt aber scheinbar von verschiedenen Marken alle möglichen Mischungsverhältnisse zu kaufen. Das hier http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-home/culin... ist offenbar Kaliumchlorid "pur", damit könnte man es sich dann also selber mischen.

Über Geschmack lässt sich natürlich schwer streiten; ich persönlich finde, zumindest die 50/50-Mischung schmeckt genauso wie gewöhnliches Salz, aber weniger intensiv.

Ich würd's ja kommentieren, habe aber keine Ahnung, was Demerara oder Muscovado ist...;-) Same here. Sorry.

Yes, I'd say that the low-sodium salt here would be akin to salt substitute in the US (at least as I knew it years ago there). Here's a bit of information:
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eatin...
I think most decent grocery stores should have at least one of them near the salt/pepper/spice section.

At least according to Wiki, it appears that people react to the taste of KCl differently -- some find it metallic, some not. I've never been terribly bothered by the 50/50-type blends, but even on the rare times I use that, I keep the amount of salt quite low anyway.

Interesting discussion about iodized salt. Since the water here in Germany isn't fluoridated (neither from the tap nor from the ubiquitous bottles of mineral water), they also sell fluoridated salt. Like iodine, it takes very little fluoride to produce the dental benefits. (I know the John Birchers and their ilk have been saying for years that fluoridated water is a "Commie plot," but I'm pretty sure most people would say fluoride is safe and beneficial...) Since I'd really prefer to avoid cavities, I buy the fluoridated salt as well (although I also like to use sea salt, which has neither iodine nor fluoride).

http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/23/fluor...

Ich dachte Fluoridisierung haben wir seit Kubrick ein für alle mal durch. Und jetzt sind die Kommunisten endlich weg und es gibt immer noch flächendeckend kein Fluor?

Und denkt mal an Jod für den Fall eines durchgehenden Atomreaktors. Unser Bürgermeister weiss jedenfalls nicht, wo seine Verwaltung die Jodabletten verkramt hat.

Das mit dem Jodmangel ging früher so weit, dass BewohnerInnen alpenländischer Gegenden generell als "kropfert" bekannt, waren, also an Kröpfen infolge Jodmangels litten http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struma
Interessant ist in diesem Artikel auch, ab wann das Jodsalz in verschiedenen Ländern eingefüht wurden und dass viele alpenländische Trachten ein sogennantes "Kropfband" inkludieren, mitdem Frauen "entweder den Kropf selbst oder aber die Narben nach einer Kropfoperation verdecken" wollten.

Der beste (und einzige) Verwendungszweck, der mir bisher für Ersatzsalz ("lo-salt") untergekommen ist, ist als Elektrolyt in hausgemachten Sportgetränken: etwas Fruchtsaft mit Salzersatz "würzen", mit Wasser auffüllen. Schmeckt viel angenehmer als kommerzielle Sportgetränke und der Salzersatz beugt wegen der enthaltenen Pottasche Krämpfen noch besser vor als normales Salz.