Measuring Cups & Measuring Spoons
"Spend the extra bucks and purchase stainless steel rather than buying plastic or those cheap tin ones that bend in your kitchen drawer."
In the past, a measuring cup or spoon would have likely been whatever the home cook used to drink their coffee or stir their tea. It wasn’t until the Fannie Farmer cookbook was published in 1896 that measuring cups and spoons were standardized to avoid confusion and/or recipe disaster.
Dry Versus Liquid Measures
Dry Measuring Tools:
Made of plastic, aluminum or stainless steel
Measurement is made by leveling dry ingredients off
Most common larger dry measurement sizes : ¼ cup - 1/3 cup - ½ cup - 2/3 cup - ¾ cup - 1 cup
Most common smaller dry measurement sizes: ¼ teaspoon - ½ teaspoon - 1 teaspoon - 1 Tablespoon (3 teaspoons)
Liquid Measures:
Made of clear plastic or glass
Spout for pouring
Measurements are generally in ¼ cup increments up the side of a large measuring cup
Measurement is made by pouring liquid to the desired level
Most common sizes are 2 cup and 4 cup
Many show ounces/ml as well as cup measurements
Can I use a dry measure for liquid ingredients or vice versa?
When measuring small amounts of liquids, as for extracts, you can use a teaspoon dry measure. Otherwise, these measures are not interchangeable. You cannot level dry ingredients in a liquid measure without risking compacting the ingredients (for example, flour).
You will get a much more exact measurement using a dry measure and sweeping off the excess ingredient. It is difficult to measure liquid ingredients in a dry measure, as well. Not only can it get messy, having to fill a measuring cup right to the top, but you can also get false readings.
Because of the surface tension of liquids, it is possible to overfill a dry measure and get an inaccurate reading.
Measuring Cup Recommendations
You should own at least one set of dry cup measures, one set of spoon measures and 1 microwavable liquid measure. Look for:
Sturdy construction
Handles either riveted or integrated, not spot welded on
A sturdy ring to hold spoons together
Enameled measurements on liquid measures so the measurements won’t wear off over time
Long, narrow measuring spoons to fit into small spice jars
Choose stainless steel measures over aluminum or plastic. They are much sturdier, and a good set will last you a lifetime
Great Cooking Video On
How To Use Measuring Tools Effectively
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