Special Measuring Instructions
Source of Recipe
Internet
Dashes, pinches, and smidgens are all traditionally very small amounts well under a teaspoon, but not more uniformly defined. In the early 2000s some companies began selling measuring spoons that defined a dash as 1⁄8 teaspoon, a pinch as 1⁄16 teaspoon, and a smidgen as 1⁄32 teaspoon.[10][11] Based on these spoons, there are two smidgens in a pinch and two pinches in a dash.
Dashes, pinches, and smidgens are all traditionally very small amounts well under a teaspoon, but not more uniformly defined. In the early 2000s some companies began selling measuring spoons that defined a dash as 1⁄8 teaspoon, a pinch as 1⁄16 teaspoon, and a smidgen as 1⁄32 teaspoon.[10][11] Based on these spoons, there are two smidgens in a pinch and two pinches in a dash.
Volume measures of compressible ingredients have a substantial measurement uncertainty, in the case of flour of about 20%.[14] Some volume-based recipes, therefore, attempt to improve the reproducibility by including additional instructions for measuring the correct amount of an ingredient. For example, a recipe might call for 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, or 2 heaping cups flour. A few of the more common special measuring methods:
Firmly packed
With a spatula, a spoon, or by hand, the ingredient is pressed as tightly as possible into the measuring device.
Lightly packed
The ingredient is pressed lightly into the measuring device, only tightly enough to ensure no air pockets.
Even / level
A precise measure of an ingredient, discarding all of the ingredient that rises above the rim of the measuring device. Sweeping across the top of the measure with the back of a straight knife or the blade of a spatula is a common leveling method.
Rounded
Allowing a measure of an ingredient to pile up above the rim of the measuring device naturally, into a soft, rounded shape.
Heaping / heaped
The maximum amount of an ingredient which will stay on the measuring device.
Sifted
This instruction may be seen in two different ways, with two different meanings: before the ingredient, as 1 cup sifted flour, indicates the ingredient should be sifted into the measuring device (and normally leveled), while after the ingredient, as 1 cup flour, sifted, denotes the sifting should occur after measurement.
Such special instructions are unnecessary in weight-based recipes.
Then there was the question of what a cupful really meant. Some ingredients were measured in the measuring cup of that time, usually made of tin, which held one fifth less than the eight ounce cup measure that came later. There was also the teacup measure, which was approximately equal to our one half cup, and the wine glass measure that was approximately our fourth of a cup. A coffee cup, tumbler, or glassful (all stated measurements in some old recipes) held amounts closer to our present cup measure.
Spoonfuls were just as confusing. Some old tablespoon measures were equivalent to four teaspoons, as compared to the later tablespoon, which was equivalent to only three teaspoons. Sometimes old recipes will specify dessert spoon (roughly equivalent to todays one half tablespoon) or salt spoon (roughly equivalent to todays one eighth teaspoon) measurements.
Flour type was rarely specified. The heaviest, crudest type of flour was called graham flour and was bought only in small quantities because it got rancid so quickly. Whole wheat and white flour were less refined versions of the flours we know today.
Sugar came in many forms, beginning with the cones of sugar that weighed about ten pounds. These cones were cut with a special tool called sugar shears into equal-sized portions, or loaves. Sometimes the loaf sugar was pulverized with a mortar and pestle to make a fairly coarse sugar, but finer sugars were preferred for baking. Turbinado was a very coarse and dry cane sugar. Next came granulated sugar, then castor sugar, which was very much like our powdered sugar today. The finest sugar was confectioners sugar.
Leavening was often a problem in the old days. The earliest recipes call for saleratus, which was a coarse-grained baking soda that was used with unpredictable results. Later, this was mixed with cream of tartar (the white crystals made from the scrapings from a wine vat) to make an early and not very reliable form of baking powder. Our present-day products are much stronger and much more effective, so anyone adventuresome enough to try these old recipes probably should adjust amounts accordingly.
Often yeast was measured by the teacup. This would indicate a liquid yeast, such as a sponge. Dried yeast as we know it didnt become available until the beginning of the twentieth century.
1 wineglass 1/4 cup
1 jigger 1.5 fluid ounces
1 gill 1/2 cup
1 teacup a scant 3/4 cup
1 coffeecup a scant cup
1 tumbler 1 cup
1 pint 2 cups
1 quart 4 cups
1 peck 2 gallons - dry
1 pinch or dash what can be picked up between thumb and first two fingers; less than 1/8 teaspoon
1/2 pinch what can be picked up between thumb and one finger
1 saltspoon 1/4 teaspoon
1 kitchen spoon 1 teaspoon
1 dessert spoon 2 teaspoons or 1 soupspoon, As a unit of measure, a level dessertspoon (abbreviation: dstspn) equals two teaspoons or 10 milliliters (about 3 fluidrams).[3] For dry ingredients, a rounded or heaped spoonful is often specified instead.
1 spoonful 1 Tablespoon more or less
1 saucer 1 heaping cup (about)
Temperatures
Very slow oven below 300 degrees F.
Slow oven 300 degrees F.
Moderately slow oven 325 degrees F.
Moderate oven 350 degrees F.
Moderately hot oven 375 degrees F.
Quick oven 375 - 400 degrees F.
Hot oven 400-425 degrees F.
Very hot oven 450-475 degrees F.
Extremely hot oven 500 degrees F. or more
Common Weights
1 penny weight 1/20 ounce
1 drachm 1/8 ounce
60 drops thick fluid 1 teaspoon
1 ounce 4-1/2 Tablespoons allspice, cinnamon, curry , paprika or dry mustard
or 4 Tablespoons cloves or prepared mustard
or 3-1/2 Tablespoons nutmeg or pepper
or 3 Tablespoons sage, cream of tartar or cornstarch
or 2 Tablespoons salt or any liquid
1 pound 2 cups liquid
or 4 cups flour
or 8 medium eggs with shells
or 10 eggs without shells
or 2 cups granulated sugar
or 2-1/3 cups packed brown sugar
or 3-3/4 cups unsifted confectioner's sugar
or 4-1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
or 4 cups grated cabbage, cranberries, coffee or chopped celery
or 3 cups corn meal
or 2 cups uncooked rice
or 2-3/4 cups raisins or dried currants
Butter the size of a egg 1/4 cup or 2 ounces
Butter the size of a walnut 1 Tablespoon
Butter the size of a hazelnut 1 teaspoon
|
|
member logon
