Cornstarch is Not Baking Powder

Cornstarch is not the same as double-acting baking powder. This is a very important distinction if you're making a sour-cream based sauce on the stovetop and want to thicken it a bit. If you grab the baking powder instead of the cornstarch, you'll end up whisking something that looks like it should be served by Richard Blais on Top Chef.

For those who are unfamiliar with baking chemistry, double-acting baking powder is a chemical leavener that makes baked goods rise in two ways: it first reacts with an acid (like, say, sour cream), then it reacts to heat (like from a stovetop burner).

I keep my baking good all in the same drawer and the baking powder and cornstarch were next to each other and are both in metal cans. I accidentally grabbed the baking powder instead of the cornstarch last night when making the sauce for my crockpot dinner last night. To save a bowl, I mixed the ersatz cornstarch in the sour cream container. I realized what happened when I looked over and saw what looked like a sour cream souffle rising majestically from the white plastic.

I quickly put everything into a bigger saucepan, added the real cornstarch and whisked for my life. The bubbles did eventually go down and I think it tasted okay. It's a dish I'll make again, taking care to grab the right can.