Food grade caustic soda (lye) anyone?

[sfsuphysics]

I got an in with a guy who grows green olives and I want to experiment trying to make the marinated olives my grandmother (and everyone else's grandmother who's conveniently dead in my family). However everything they've done the olives were pre-cured, i.e. jarred not fresh.

I've found a few recipes to first cure them, the long one involves making a salt brine, shorter ones involve caustic soda (I'd rather not use drain cleaner simply due to what "other" stuff might be in it), I did find some references to alla Calce, which seems to use calcium hydroxide. Basically I want to try a few methods to see what comes out good, I already have a decent marinade recipe but need to get the olives ready!

 

[GDawson]

Food Grade Lye (caustic soda)

http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/sodium-hydroxide.html

http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-Sodium-dsh-Hydroxide-dsh-Lye-dsh-Food-dsh-Grade/Categories

-Gregory

 

[tuberider]

Your local Mexican grocer will have it, it is used for slacking corn to make masa.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Thanks Jeremy!

You too Gregory, I love those containers they come in (nice and safe looking) however $10 for shipping kind of kills it.

 

[GDawson]

Your local Mexican grocer will have it, it is used for slacking corn to make masa.

You are soooo right....hominy too.

Hey Jeremy - how about the link for the clay bread baker?

-Gregory

 

[seminolecpa]

MMMMMM grits

 

[tuberider]

Your local Mexican grocer will have it, it is used for slacking corn to make masa.

You are soooo right....hominy too.

Hey Jeremy - how about the link for the clay bread baker?

-Gregory

I'll dig that up for you right now along with the very cool book I've been using

 

[GDawson]

MMMMMM grits

shrimp & grits

Reminds me I haven't had breakfast yet........

-Gregory

 

[sfsuphysics]

mmmm polenta (grits for us Italians )

 

[Gomer]

mmm....posole....

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Soapmaking stores should have it too. Dunno if it's food grade though.

I wrote an article for AAOLM that should be popping up in the next few days about regenerating GFO with lye. It's about 10-20 x cheaper than replacing it.

 

[xinumaster]

I just read your article, Matt.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/10/chemistry

 

[d0ughb0y]

Soapmaking stores should have it too. Dunno if it's food grade though.

I wrote an article for AAOLM that should be popping up in the next few days about regenerating GFO with lye. It's about 10-20 x cheaper than replacing it.

I want to try GFO regeneration following Matt's article, however, I can't seem to find NaOH locally.

None of the drain opener products mentioned in the article are available anymore at Home Depot, Lowes or OSH (the ones currently available contains shaved metals).
Gallade in Newark does not sell to individuals, and I don't need 50 lbs.

I also went to Mi Pueblo Mexican grocery and did not find any.

I tried looking for soap making supply store and only found one in Fremont, but they do not sell lye.

it is still available online, and will probably get it online as a last resort, as the shipping charge is quite high.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Wow, really? That is odd. Have you tried an ACE Hardware? They had Rooto last time I was in one.

I imagine if you wanted to have a bag of it sent to your work or whatever Gallade would ship it to you. They probably just need to deliver to a business address.