Hi - Could you provide some thoughts on the Japanese technique of chilling the egg whites in the freezer for about 15 minutes in place of cream of tartar before whipping them into a meringue? I recently discovered recipes for Japanese souffle pancakes (which are delicious!) but call for a meringue made using the chilling method. Several sources I found suggested that this is a standard Japanese technique for not only the souffle pancakes, but also a chiffon cake. One of the sources stated: "...almost all (99%) Japanese chiffon cake recipes require cold, well-refrigerated, or sometimes half-frozen egg whites, to make meringue without cream of tartar. Chilled egg whites will make very fine and smooth meringue with small and strong air bubbles inside. They remain strong even in the oven, and help the batter rise higher and fluffier. " The acid source is lacking, of course, if you don't use the cream of tartar, but I am wondering if perhaps the chilling process somehow slightly changes the chemistry of the egg whites to enable them to whip up. Appreciate your thoughts!

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