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...what is this terrible, acidic diaper rash?

My daughter, at seemingly random points, would get this can't sit down, raw red,  at times even bloody patched rash. And, like, that's not normal. After multiple trips to the pediatrician with zero help, I thiiiiiiink the ONLY search result that was helpful was this mom from Life with Gremlins, and it was a lifesaver. 

Now there are a few sites, but the summary is this:

>it's almost definitely dietary-- tomatoes (ahem, pasta sauce?), citrus (juices, or even dried cranberries, too!), even lactose can convert if your kid is already overloaded

>it could be associated with malabsorption; I haven't delved into this yet since it goes away when I remove the food source cause

>the best remedy I found is:

   1. Cutting the foods out (pea protein milk was a great alternative!) and doing the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apples, toast) to help slow the poops until the acidity is under control.

    2. Instead of wiping, dab and then throw them into a quick baking soda bath to neutralize the acid; this makes a huge difference. I put like 2-3 inches of water into our bathtub, add 1-3 Tablespoons of baking soda, and let her plan for a few minutes. Then air dry.

    3. Finally, apply Neosporin all over the rash, then a diaper paste (like Boudroux's), then on top of those two, put diaper ointment (like Aquafor). 

    4. Change that baby more frequently than normal (like every 1.5-2 hours or less), letting their bottom air out in between. 

 

This basically stops it in its tracks. Good luck.

...what are the different types of sponge cakes?

Oh man. I have to stop watching the Great British Baking Show and/or I need to hit the gym.

But it has me trying to learn as I listen, which makes watching it seem suuuuper productive and not a time suck... right? So I was wondering, and this is going to sound ridiculous, but what types of cake are there? I think my main take away from watching several seasons is that a Genoise is made by beating the hell out of egg whites. And the more air in there, the more the oven heat will make those bubbles expand and that's what makes the cake rise. WHOA, I know stuff!!

-----------------(cue charming BGGS intro music)---------------------------------

What kinds of cake are there? Two. There are two kinds.

1. Butter (or "shortened")
butter/margarine/vegetable shortening = dense, moist
think: pound cake, yellow cake, most cakes in the U.S.

2. Sponge (or "foam")
little to no fat + usually larger proportion of (often separated) eggs = light, airy
think: sponge cakes, angel cake, Swiss rolls, tres leches (yes!), madelines, lady fingers

Key notes on sponge: 

-little or no butter, or it won't rise

-might just use whipped eggs/whites, but might also use baking soda or cream of tartar if there IS butter

-maybe don't grease the pan? it might help it climb and rise more.

-great for gluten-free because it's the eggs that give the structure, not the gluten

Basically: whip egg whites with caster sugar, then fold in flour.