We are leaving in a few days for a month in Florida. We will be driving from Massachusetts to Florida. I would like to pre-mix all necessary dry ingredients for my favorite Irish Bread and put it into a plastic storage bag. Then I will only have to add the wet ingredients when it is time to bake my bread. Will the baking powder lose its effectiveness if stored this way for 1 or 2 weeks? Ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, raisins. Wet Ingredients: 2 cups half and half.

 Do you people tell us about your month-long vacations just to torment us – knowing that we are tied to an office in New England, knowing (or suspecting) that we have children in school, knowing (or suspecting) that it's going to snow like the dickens the day after you leave? It's a little bit mean.

Did we tell you when we went to France in the Fall, or Madrid in January? Oh, we did? Then never mind. If you really want to follow food, you have to travel some.

In your case, the food is traveling with you, and we think your plan is great. It is moisture that would wreak havoc with your baking powder, and for that reason, we'd even segregate the raisins, even though at around 18% moisture, they are quite dry.

We are not the least bit aggrieved by your decision to flee New England for a well-deserved month of warmth and sunshine. Someday we may do the same….

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