Lye in olives; lye in soap

Dee Randall said:

"Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."

Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making soap?

Yes.

Bob

zxcvbob said:

Dee Randall said:

"Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."

Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making soap?

Yes.

Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

zxcvbob said:

Dee Randall said:

"Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."

Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making soap?

Yes.

Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

And tortillas?
I love the smell of tortillas, it always has that something "j'ne sais
quois." I wonder if it is the lye that I'm smelling --
But I don't smell that same smell in un-fragranced soap; nor do I recall -
though it's been decades- upon- decades that smell in home-made soap on the
farm.
Dee

"Dee Randall" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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zxcvbob said:

Dee Randall wrote:

> "Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."
>
> Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making soap?

Yes.

Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

And tortillas?
I love the smell of tortillas, it always has that something "j'ne sais
quois." I wonder if it is the lye that I'm smelling --
But I don't smell that same smell in un-fragranced soap; nor do I recall -
though it's been decades- upon- decades that smell in home-made soap on
the farm.
Dee

In all these processes the lye is completely removed. Lye is, essentially
Drano, and you do not want that in your mouth or on your skin!

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Dee Randall said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

zxcvbob said:

Dee Randall wrote:

> "Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."
>
> Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making soap?

Yes.

Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

And tortillas?
I love the smell of tortillas, it always has that something "j'ne sais
quois." I wonder if it is the lye that I'm smelling --
But I don't smell that same smell in un-fragranced soap; nor do I recall -
though it's been decades- upon- decades that smell in home-made soap on the
farm.
Dee

Lye has no odor even at high concentrations. If it's rinsed out of
the food, as for olives or grits(?), there's nothing to worry about.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"Curly Sue" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

zxcvbob wrote:

> Dee Randall wrote:
>
> > "Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."
> >
> > Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making
> > soap?
>
> Yes.

Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

And tortillas?
I love the smell of tortillas, it always has that something "j'ne sais
quois." I wonder if it is the lye that I'm smelling --
But I don't smell that same smell in un-fragranced soap; nor do I recall -
though it's been decades- upon- decades that smell in home-made soap on
the
farm.
Dee

Lye has no odor even at high concentrations. If it's rinsed out of
the food, as for olives or grits(?), there's nothing to worry about.

What is that wonderful smell in tortillas, is it lime? (lyme?)
Dee

"Dee Randall" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

zxcvbob said:

Dee Randall wrote:

> "Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."
>
> Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making

soap?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes.

Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

And tortillas?
I love the smell of tortillas, it always has that something "j'ne sais
quois." I wonder if it is the lye that I'm smelling --
But I don't smell that same smell in un-fragranced soap; nor do I recall -
though it's been decades- upon- decades that smell in home-made soap on

the

Quoted message said:

farm.
Dee

Masa is made from lime not lye. Lime is also used in making posole. Lye is
used in making hominy; and, of course, to remove the bitterness in olives.

Charlie

Dee Randall said:

"Curly Sue" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>> Dee Randall wrote:
>>
>> > "Green olives must be soaked in a lye solution before brining."
>> >
>> > Does anyone know if this is the same lye that is used in making
>> > soap?
>>
>> Yes.
>
> Probably the same lye that is used to make grits.

And tortillas?
I love the smell of tortillas, it always has that something "j'ne sais
quois." I wonder if it is the lye that I'm smelling --
But I don't smell that same smell in un-fragranced soap; nor do I recall -
though it's been decades- upon- decades that smell in home-made soap on
the
farm.
Dee

Lye has no odor even at high concentrations. If it's rinsed out of
the food, as for olives or grits(?), there's nothing to worry about.

What is that wonderful smell in tortillas, is it lime? (lyme?)
Dee

I don't know. Maybe it's the effect that the lime/lye/whatever has on
the grain (corn?), so when it's cooked it smells better?

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Dee Randall said:

Are not posole and hominy one and the same?
Is not posole a stew of hominy? Why would lime be used to make posole and
lye to make hominy?
Confused.
Dee

Lye is sodium hydroxide and lime is calcium hydroxide and, if I
remember Chem.1A, lye is a little more active. They are both used to
process corn grains to make them more edible. In other words, classic
'net trivia. Although, IMHO, using both should be discouraged when
curing olives.

D.M.

D.A.Martinich said:

Dee Randall said:

Are not posole and hominy one and the same?
Is not posole a stew of hominy? Why would lime be used to make posole and
lye to make hominy?
Confused.
Dee

Lye is sodium hydroxide and lime is calcium hydroxide and, if I
remember Chem.1A, lye is a little more active. They are both used to
process corn grains to make them more edible. In other words, classic
'net trivia. Although, IMHO, using both should be discouraged when
curing olives.

D.M.

Lime (ground limestone) is Calcium Carbonate CaCO3, not calcium
Hydroxide. Calcium Hydroxide is manufactured from limestone.

Allan Matthews said:

D.A.Martinich said:

Dee Randall said:

Are not posole and hominy one and the same?
Is not posole a stew of hominy? Why would lime be used to make posole and
lye to make hominy?
Confused.
Dee

Lye is sodium hydroxide and lime is calcium hydroxide and, if I
remember Chem.1A, lye is a little more active. They are both used to
process corn grains to make them more edible. In other words, classic
'net trivia. Although, IMHO, using both should be discouraged when
curing olives.

D.M.

Lime (ground limestone) is Calcium Carbonate CaCO3, not calcium
Hydroxide. Calcium Hydroxide is manufactured from limestone.

"Lime" is an ambiguous term that can refer to calcium carbonate or
calcium oxide (more commonly called "quick lime"😉 or calcium hydroxide.
You have to be very careful when you buy the stuff or you'll get
ground limestone when you want the hydroxide, or vice versa. It's
pretty hard to accidently get quick lime.

Best regards,
Bob

"Dee Randall" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Are not posole and hominy one and the same?

They are not. They are very similar though and both are made from non-sweet
hard maise. Posole is made using lime and hominy is made using lye. Both
chemicals soften kernals and allow the full nutrition in the kernals to be
available.

Quoted message said:

Is not posole a stew of hominy?

It is both. <smile> Posole is the dried corn/maise as well as the stew it is
made from.

Quoted message said:

Why would lime be used to make posole and
lye to make hominy?

Different cultural sources. The effect is the same and the difference in
taste is minimal.

Quoted message said:

Confused.
Dee

Hope this and the other posts helps. Confusion is good as it shows that you
are thinking and your brain is working well. It is a good thing.

Charlie

"Charles Gifford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Dee Randall" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Are not posole and hominy one and the same?

They are not. They are very similar though and both are made from
non-sweet
hard maise. Posole is made using lime and hominy is made using lye. Both
chemicals soften kernals and allow the full nutrition in the kernals to be
available.

Quoted message said:

Is not posole a stew of hominy?

It is both. <smile> Posole is the dried corn/maise as well as the stew it
is
made from.

Quoted message said:

Why would lime be used to make posole and
lye to make hominy?

Different cultural sources. The effect is the same and the difference in
taste is minimal.

Quoted message said:

Confused.
Dee

Hope this and the other posts helps. Confusion is good as it shows that
you
are thinking and your brain is working well. It is a good thing.

Charlie

Well, thank you, Charlie!
And I can see that your brain is working quite well, too.
Yes, this clears up my confusion.
Dee