Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is a by-product of the wine industry.  A crystalline acid forms on the inside of wine barrels then the barrels are scraped and the sediment is purified and ground to form cream of tartar.

Uses For Cream Of Tartar

Cream of tartar is used to stabilize egg whites when making meringue or as an addition to certain frostings to produce a creamy product.  It can also be used to add acidity in some recipes.

For General Baking:
If you don't have cream of tartar:  For general baking purposes you can substitute 1 tablespoon of white vinegar per teaspoon of cream of tartar

OR> Use 1 tablespoon lemon juice per teaspoon of cream of tartar

For Egg Whites:
If you need a substitute when whipping egg whites, use 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice per egg. 

1 oz. cream of tartar = 3 tbsp.