Does turkey make you sleepy?

Ahh — the Thanksgiving nap. After eating a tasty Thanksgiving meal, many people feel the need to sleep. Many have attributed this to eating turkey because it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that makes up protein. While turkey does contain tryptophan, so do nearly all sources of dietary protein. But is it to blame?

Researchers studied the relationship between tryptophan and psychological effects such as sensory responses, sleep, mood and performance with inconclusive results. It is assumed that when tryptophan is consumed, it converts to serotonin which causes drowsiness.

In reality, however, the opposite occurs. After eating a protein-rich meal, tryptophan and serotonin levels decrease. This is because larger amino acids in protein such as valine, leucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine take precedence and absorb into the brain.

They cause more stimulation than sedation.

It is a carbohydrate-rich meal, such as potatoes, bread and pumpkin pie, that increases tryptophan and serotonin levels. Carbohydrates direct the larger amino acids to the muscles instead of the brain.

Therefore, tryptophan and serotonin will increase in the brain and cause drowsiness.

So, the next time you eat pumpkin pie, you may want to take a nap.

I have a pumpkin pie recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spice. I don’t have any in my cupboard. What can I substitute for it?

Pumpkin pie spice is just a combination of other spices blended together. To make your own, combine four parts cinnamon, two parts ground ginger, one part ground allspice, and one part ground nutmeg or combine equal parts of cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground mace and ground cloves.

The Cook’s Thesaurus provides substitutions for many other spice mixes that you may be interested in. Here are a few of them:

• Apple Pie Spice — Combine four parts cinnamon, two parts ground nutmeg and one part ground cardamom.
• Pickling Spice — Combine 1/4 cup each of mustard seeds, dill seeds, and coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons each of crushed chili peppers and bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon each of celery seeds and white peppercorns.
• Poultry Seasoning — Combine equal parts of dried sage, thyme, and marjoram or oregano.
• Seasoned Salt — Combine 1 cup salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
• Crab Boil — In a muslin bag or in cheesecloth, combine and tie: 3 bay leaves, a small piece of dried ginger, and 1 teaspoon each of black peppercorns, mustard seeds, dill seeds, coriander seeds, whole cloves and whole allspice.

Can raw, unpasteurized milk be sold in Kansas?

Kansas is one of 28 states that allows raw milk sales. In Kansas, raw milk can be sold directly from the farm, but the Kansas Department of Agriculture does not promote this practice. Here are the restrictions:

• It must be sold on the farm where the milk is produced;
• It must be to the final customer;
• Advertise on the farm only;
• The advertisement must state the milk is raw, unpasteurized and ungraded.

Kansas law does not allow:

• Home delivery of raw milk;
• Sales at farmer’s markets, health food stores or any other businesses;
• Advertising with printed brochures, flyers, posted price lists, or on the Internet;
• Advertising or selling for “animal use” when the intended use is human consumption. Any producers who give tours of their dairy operations should not serve raw milk to visitors.

So why isn’t the consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk promoted?

Raw milk can contain many pathogens such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and more. Food-borne illness symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache, vomiting and exhaustion. While some people recover quickly from food-borne illness, it can be life-threatening for others.

Pasteurization prevents tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, salmonellosis, strep throat, scarlet fever and typhoid fever.

How does baking soda affect baked goods?

Baking soda is used in many baking applications as a chemical leavener. In the presence of moisture and heat, it quickly produces gas to make baked goods rise. It is typically used in combination with other leavening agents because if used alone, excessive amounts must be used to produce enough gas. This produces strong chemical flavors and yellow or green discoloration.

Baking soda is typically used in the presence of one or more acid ingredients. Acids help baking soda develop carbon dioxide easier so less baking soda is needed. Common acid ingredients include buttermilk, sour cream, fruit, vinegar, brown sugar, cocoa and more.

Baking soda affects baked goods in various ways. Here are a few:

• Cookie spread is controlled in various ways. One way is to add a small amount of baking soda. This weakens gluten strands and egg proteins resulting in more spread and a coarser, more porous crumb. Baking soda also increases browning.
• The green ring around blueberries in baked goods is due to high pH content. Anthocyanin pigments are pH dependent. At a low pH, they are red, at a medium pH, they are purple/blue, and at a high pH, they are green. One reason this happens is too much baking soda is in the recipe.
• Devil’s Food Cake has a rich, dark, reddish brown color. Baking soda is the key ingredient to this rich color. Baking soda increases the pH which darkens the cocoa and gives a smoother cocoa taste. If too much baking soda is used, it will weaken the cell walls resulting in a coarse crumb and a flat cake.