Weight, Measures, Cooking Times, and Cooking Tips, collected by Carlos Mirasierras
PRINCIPLES OF MEASUREMENT—TABLE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES—TIME
REQUIRED FOR COOKING—COOK'S COMPLETE TIME TABLE.
In great degree, the uniform accuracy of results obtained by professional cooks,
bakers, and caterers is due to the fact that the measurement of ingredients involved in
their recipes is accurately determined by weight; while the temperature of an oven is
definitely controlled by means of a thermometer. Thus the conditions surrounding the
food cooked are made identical, and uniformity in the product necessarily follows. Any
cook can find similar results by like means, and a good pair of scales in the kitchen
may be regarded as one of the marks of a good cook. There are countless occasions
when the use of scales is necessary, and there is no question but that measurement by
weight could be advantageously made use of far more frequently than is usually done
now.
As long as the cook is content to measure rather than to weigh he/she will have to
expect his/her products to be lacking in uniformity because no two people measure
exactly alike and probably nobody measures twice in the same way. But if
measurements are to be persistently used, it is necessary that the cook shall take as
many precautions as possible in order to attain a reasonable degree of accuracy in
his/her work.
All dry ingredients, such as flour, meal, confectioner's and powdered sugar, should be
sifted before measuring. Mustard, baking powder, cream of tartar, soda, salt, and
spices should be stirred to lighten and free them from lumps. To dip a measuring cup
into flour or other dry material in order to fill it and then to shake the cup to level its
contents, condenses or packs the flour and causes the cup to contain more than the
recipe specifies. The material should be added tablespoonful by tablespoonful, taking
care not to shake the cup until the cup is well filled. The contents should then be
leveled by means of a case knife.
All ingredients, measured by the tablespoonful or teaspoonful, are measured level
unless otherwise stated. To measure a spoonful, fill the spoon and level it with the back
of a case knife. For a half spoonful, first measure a spoonful, then divide it in halves,
lengthwise, with a thin knife blade. To measure a quarter spoonful, first measure a half
spoonful and divide it crosswise, a little nearer the back than the point of the spoon, to
allow for its curvature. This is equivalent to one salt spoonful. Butter, lard, and other
solid fats are measured by packing them solidly into the spoon or cup and leveling with
a knife. Butter should be measured before melting, unless melted butter is stated in the
recipe, in which case it should be measured after melting.
A cup which holds half a pint, is the common standard of domestic measure. This cup
has straight sides divided into fourths and thirds. It may be obtained at any good 5- and
10-cent store or mail order establishment.
The following are tables of measurements, all measurements being level.

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Household Weights and Measures 2