Struggling with American measurements.

I hate using cup measures! Find it takes a lot longer than using a scales. So I bought a set of measuring cups, which I use the first time I try a recipe, and if it's a success I'll make it again and weigh each thing after measuring it in the cups, then write the recipe into my trusty recipe book

loveisdivine wrote: »

Stoopid Americans! :pac:

Not sure I agree there, well not in relation to recipe measurements anyway .

For many recipes, it's all about relative volumes of ingredients ... 1 part this, 2 parts that etc., and using volume measurements makes much more sense in that situation. It also matches the way most people casually judge quantities when they aren't weighing ingredients, i.e. by eye.

By the way, the Scandinavians also use volume measurements, although they use dl, or decilitres (100ml), instead.

The only problem I ever have is when they suggest a cup measurement of a solid block, ie. butter.
Other than that, I fing using cup measurements much quicker to work with. Just scoop, level and plop. No messing taking bits out and adding bits in ir badly calibrated scales.

I can't switch between both effortlessly, I really don't see the issue.
It also means I get to break out my fancy clay cups.

1lb of butter(normal kerrygold block) is 4 sticks

Tecso have just gotten a set of cup measurements in in the last few week.

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Also, "cups" is a ridiculous measurement, and your post makes no sense in any context, a recipe can just as easily be scaled using normal measurements

You're absolutely right, both volume and weight recipes can be easily scaled.

What Alun was referring to was that volume and weight are different and not interchangeable.

So for example if we have 1 cup oats, 1 cup butter and you know that 1 cup of oats is 100g, that doesn't mean you also need 100g of butter (you should need more butter by weight, but I may have gotten that completely wrong).
Different densities etc.

If recipes are really simple and just say 1 part X to 2 parts Y without specifiying weight or volume, it is likely that they are referring to volume because we can judge volume easier than weight (again densities).

Finally, dl and ml are same as you said, but ml and mg are not.

Anyway, diverison over, let normal service resume

F.

Throw away all those silly cups and get one of these

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8429377/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CKitchen+and+laundry%7C14418476/c_2/3%7C19780847%7CKitchenware%7C14418477/c_3/4%7Ccat_14418477%7CKitchen+scales%7C14418488.htm

So much easier, you can place your bowl on top and just keep pressing the button back to zero as you add and weigh. You also end up with 1 mixing bowl to wash instead of those cups

jos28 wrote: »

Throw away all those silly cups and get one of these

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8429377/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CKitchen+and+laundry%7C14418476/c_2/3%7C19780847%7CKitchenware%7C14418477/c_3/4%7Ccat_14418477%7CKitchen+scales%7C14418488.htm

So much easier, you can place your bowl on top and just keep pressing the button back to zero as you add and weigh. You also end up with 1 mixing bowl to wash instead of those cups

I have one if those and it's great - but not useful for US recipes that are only in cups, with no weights.

loveisdivine wrote: »

Yeah I already have a scale that does ounces and grams.

I will pick up the aldi set of cups I think. I will still use grams for baking as its easy to find conversions or I can weigh out cups of regularly used ingredients and make a note.

but it will be really handy for savoury/unusual ingredients.

I used to keep a list of conversions from cups to grams/ grams to ounces/ gas mark to degrees Celsius etc sellotaped to the inside of one of the kitchen cupboards until we got a new kitchen and the list was flung out along with the old doors

Love the simple US system of cups, and would recommend just buying a set, even if only for US recipes. As mentioned, main drawback of cups is in measuring things like a cup of butter, etc, and of course recipes are easier to scale up with a scales, none of which are biggies. Aside from that, cups are very easy to use, so would just give it a whirl and if you really hate it (I don't know why people do..), simply measure in cups for your first recipe and weigh it all so you never have to use them for that recipe again.

I have both cups and scales, and with the ease of picking up a set of inexpensive cups, there's probably not any real reason not to have both. I tend to stay away from conversions though (unless I do the conversion myself), as I've found so much conflicting/ inaccurate information around, and it's one less variable to go wrong by avoiding it

ps a cup holds 225- 250ml of liquid, so if you don't have a measuring cup on hand, simply see which cup/ mug holds that much liquid, and use that as your cup measure if you're stuck/ don't wish to splash out on a set of cups.

janmaree wrote: »

One important difference to remember is that the American pint is only 16 fluid ounces instead of 20 for our pint. After that, it's fairly easy.

And to confuse things further, a US fluid ounce is slightly bigger than an imperial fluid ounce.

the beer revolu wrote: »

And to confuse things further, a US fluid ounce is slightly bigger than an imperial fluid ounce.

Only by 4% though, not really significant for most practical purposes.

I have a set of stainless steel measuring cups and they're brilliant. I use them all the time. They were less than a tenner and a great addition to the kitchen.