Baking Powder is a leavening agent that consists of a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, and a moisture absorber. It has the action of yeast but it acts much more quickly. It is used in batters where there is no acid present such as many baked goods: cookies, cakes, pastries, pies, quick bread, etc.
William Wright formulated Calumet Baking Powder in Chicago, Illinois in 1889. The powder was named after Calumet City, a town near Chicago. Calumet was also the Native American term for peace pipe, and Calumet used the profile of a Native American in a headdress as its trademark.
Also known as potassium bitartrate, cream of tartar is the powdered form of tartaric acid. This organic acid is found naturally in many plants and also formed during the wine making process.
If unsure of the effectiveness of the baking powder, use this simple test: Add 1 teaspoon of Calumet baking powder to 1/4 cups water. If the mixture bubbles, then the product is still active.