Weights
and Measures
3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons equal 1/8 cup
4 tablespoons equal 1/4 cup
5 1/3 tablespoons equal 1/3 cup
8 tablespoons equal 1/2 cup
10 2/3 tablespoons equal 2/3 cup
12 tablespoons equal 3/4 cup
14 tablespoons equal 7/8 cup
16 tablespoons equal 1 cup
1 cup equals 8 fluid ounces
1 cup equals 1/2 pint
2 cups equal 1 pint
4 cups equal 1 quart
4 quarts equal 1 gallon
8 quarts equal 1 peck
4 pecks equal 1 bushel
1 liter equals 2.1 pints
1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds
28.3 grams equal 1 ounce
How
Much and How Many
Butter, Chocolate
2 tablespoons butter = 1 ounce
1 stick or 1/4 pound butter = 1/2 cup
1 square chocolate = 1 ounce
Crumbs
20 saltine crackers = 1 cup fine crumbs
12 graham crackers = 1 cup fine crumbs
22 vanilla wafers = 1 cup fine crumbs
8 to 9 slices zwieback = 1 cup fine crumbs
1 slice bread = 1/2 cup soft crumbs
Nuts
1 pound walnuts in shell = 2 cups, shelled
1/4 pound chopped walnuts = about 1 cup
1 pound almonds in shell = about 1 cup,
shelled
Fruits,
Vegetables
Juice of 1 lemon = 3 to 4 tablespoons
Grated peel of 1 lemon = 1 teaspoon
Juice of 1 orange = 6 to 7 tablespoons
Grated peel of 1 orange = about 2
teaspoons
1 medium apple, chopped = 1 cup
1 medium onion, chopped = 1/2 cup
1/4 pound celery (about 2 stalks) chopped
= 1 cup
Cheese and Eggs
1 pound process cheese, shredded = 4 cups
1/4 pound blue cheese, crumbled = 3/4 to 1
cup
1 large egg, beaten = 1/4 cup
12 to 14 egg yolks = 1 cup
8 to 10 egg whites = 1 cup
Cereals
4 ounces macaroni (1 - 1 1/4 cups) = 2 1/4
cups cooked
4 ounces noodles (1 1/2 - 2 cups) = 2 1/4
cups cooked
4 ounces spaghetti (1 - 1 1/4 cups) = 2
1/2 cups cooked
1 cup uncooked rice (6 1/2 - 7 ounces) = 3
- 3 1/2 cups cooked
1 cup precooked rice = 2 cups cooked
Cooking
Terms
Flambe - Heated brandy (or other spirits)
is poured over cooked or partially cooked food and is then ignited
and allowed to burn off.
Julienne - Food is cut into very thin,
long matchstick strips
Roux - A mixture of fat and flour sauteed
together and then added to liquid to thicken it.
Bind - To thicken the liquid of a soup,
gravy or stew with a starch such as flour or cornstarch or with egg
yolks.
Blanch - To place in boiling water for a
given amount of time and then in cold water, for the purpose of
partially cooking or peeling.
Braise - To sear or brown in fat, then
cook slowly, covered, with a minimum of liquid, on stove or in oven.
Coat a Spoon - Custards and sauces which
contain egg yolk or cornstarch must often cook until they are thick
enough to leave a coating on a spoon, indicating their degree of
doneness.
Fold
- To gently combine a lighter mixture such as beaten egg whites with
a heavier mixture such as a cream sauce or cake batter. To do this,
place heavier mixture over lighter, cut down through middle of both
with a rubber spatula and draw spatula toward you, turning mixture
over as you do so.
Continue
around bowl in this fashion.
Substitutions
1 tablespoon cornstarch = 2 tablespoons
flour (for thickening)
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour = 1 cup
plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 square chocolate = 3 tablespoons cocoa
plus 1 tablespoon butter (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon baking powder = 1/4 teaspoon
baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour milk = 1 cup sweet milk into
which 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice has been mixed. 1 cup
buttermilk may also be used
1 cup sweet milk = 1 cup sour milk or
buttermilk plus 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Buttermilk = for 1 cup use 1 teaspoon
lemon juice or vinegar and enough milk to measure 1 cup
Cake flour = for 1 cup use 7/8 cup
all-purpose flour
Cracker crumbs = for 3/4 cup use 1 cup
bread crumbs
Dark corn syrup = for 1 cup use 3/4 cup
light corn syrup and 1/4 cup molasses or 1 cup light corn syrup
Garlic = for 1 clove, minced use 1/8
teaspoon garlic powder
Garlic salt = for 1 teaspoon use 1/8
teaspoon garlic powder and 7/8 teaspoon salt
Half-and Half = for 1 cup use 1 tablespoon
melted butter and enough whole milk to equal 1 cup
Honey = for 1 cup use 1 1/4 cups sugar and
1/4 cup liquid
Lemon Juice = for 1 teaspoon use 1/4
teaspoon cider vinegar
Lemon Peel = for 1 teaspoon use 1/2
teaspoon lemon extract
Light corn syrup = for 1 cup use 1 cup
sugar and 1/4 cup liquid
Molasses = for 1 cup use 1 cup honey
Onion = for 1 small chopped, use 1
teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
Prepared Mustard = for 1 tablespoon use
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard and 2 teaspoons vinegar
Semisweet chocolate = for 1 ounce use 3
tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips or 1 ounce unsweetened
chocolate and 1 tablespoon sugar