Wired deconstructed the Hostess Lemon Pie last month. These pies are one of my favorite snack foods and, when paired with a hot buttered rum flavored cappuccino) a frequent breakfast substitute when I'm on the run.
Despite Wired's attempt to gross me out by calling modified cornstarch "mucus like" when mixed with water, telling me that locust bean gum was used to bind the wrappings of mummies, calcium sulphate is the same thing as Plaster of Paris, "artificial flavors" are often derived from distilling turpentine, and agar is from the cell walls of red algae (red tide anyone?), regardless of whether I knew about any of these ingredients or not, I will continue to enjoy my Hostess Pie in the morning.
My main concern is for vegetarians that may not realize that "beef fat" may be used as shortening in the crust.
To the reader that posted yesterday: "What a coincidence that Steve Ettlinger's new book, "Twinkie, Deconstructed" was just discussed on NPR this morning. I wonder if the author of this article did years of research on farms, in factories, and even mines (where they get baking soda) as Mr. Ettlinger did." Umm... Obviously you work for Steve Ettlinger or something, but it doesn't take years of research to know where the ingredients for different products come from or what ingredients comprise a particular product when there are ingredient labels right on the product. Twit. In about 5 minutes I can tell you how to make a mean ass Jambalaya. You won't need years of research. Wired's been doing these deconstruction articles for years and even has a "What's Inside" segment on the Wired Science show on PBS for a while too.