Just a quick note before you begin reading about measuring….
My sister, Marie Woolf, just published this fantastic new book called “Tess’s Saving Grace”.
“Tess, a famous rock star, leads a wild and crazy life. Everyone is shocked when she decides to have a baby but refuses to identify the father. Her daughter Grace manages to grow and thrive in the chaos of her mother’s rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. But, as a teenager, she longs for a “normal” life with friends her own age. When she talks her mother into letting her go—under a fictitious name—to an elite boarding school, Grace discovers a number of things about her mom—and herself—that she never expected.” (Available at Amazon.com).
This book is a quick and delightful read that makes you laugh and cry and laugh again!
Cheers!
Kathy
*************
Americans typically measure ingredients by volume, while just about everyone else measures them by weight. Here is a quick summery of some of the basic cooking conversions. At the end of this post there are links to food specific online conversion calculators.
This post contains ratios for
a) US Dry Volume Measurements
b) US Liquid Volume Measurements
c) Converting US Measurements to Metric
d) Converting Metric Measurements to US
e) Oven Temperature Conversions
f) Ratios for selected foods
g) Measures for pans and dishes
Measurements Conversion Chart
| US Dry Volume Measurements | |
|---|---|
| MEASURE | EQUIVALENT |
| 1/16 teaspoon | dash |
| 1/8 teaspoon | a pinch |
| 3 teaspoons | 1 Tablespoon |
| 1/8 cup | 2 tablespoons (= 1 standard coffee scoop) |
| 1/4 cup | 4 Tablespoons |
| 1/3 cup | 5 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon |
| 1/2 cup | 8 Tablespoons |
| 3/4 cup | 12 Tablespoons |
| 1 cup | 16 Tablespoons |
| 1 Pound | 16 ounces |
| US liquid volume measurements | |
| 8 Fluid ounces | 1 Cup |
| 1 Pint | 2 Cups (= 16 fluid ounces) |
| 1 Quart | 2 Pints (= 4 cups) |
| 1 Gallon | 4 Quarts (= 16 cups) |
| US to Metric Conversions | |
| 1/5 teaspoon | 1 ml (ml stands for milliliter, one thousandth of a liter) |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml |
| 1 fluid oz. | 30 ml |
| 1/5 cup | 50 ml |
| 1 cup | 240 ml |
| 2 cups (1 pint) | 470 ml |
| 4 cups (1 quart) | .95 liter |
| 4 quarts (1 gal.) | 3.8 liters |
| 1 oz. | 28 grams |
| 1 pound | 454 grams |
| Metric to US Conversions | |
| 1 milliliter | 1/5 teaspoon |
| 5 ml | 1 teaspoon |
| 15 ml | 1 tablespoon |
| 30 ml | 1 fluid oz. |
| 100 ml | 3.4 fluid oz. |
| 240 ml | 1 cup |
| 1 liter | 34 fluid oz. |
| 1 liter | 4.2 cups |
| 1 liter | 2.1 pints |
| 1 liter | 1.06 quarts |
| 1 liter | .26 gallon |
| 1 gram | .035 ounce |
| 100 grams | 3.5 ounces |
| 500 grams | 1.10 pounds |
| 1 kilogram | 2.205 pounds |
| 1 kilogram | 35 oz. |
| Pan Size Equivalents | |
| 9-by-13-inches baking dish | 22-by-33-centimeter baking dish |
| 8-by-8-inches baking dish | 20-by-20-centimeter baking dish |
| 9-by-5-inches loaf pan | 23-by-12-centimeter loaf pan (=8 cups or 2 liters in capacity) |
| 10-inch tart or cake pan | 25-centimeter tart or cake pan |
| 9-inch cake pan | 22-centimeter cake pan |
Oven Temperature Conversions
| Farenheit | Celsius | Gas Mark |
|---|---|---|
| 275º F | 140º C | gas mark 1-cool |
| 300º F | 150º C | gas mark 2 |
| 325º F | 165º C | gas mark 3-very moderate |
| 350º F | 180º C | gas mark 4-moderate |
| 375º F | 190º C | gas mark 5 |
| 400º F | 200º C | gas mark 6-moderately hot |
| 425º F | 220º C | gas mark 7- hot |
| 450º F | 230º C | gas mark 9 |
| 475º F | 240º C | gas mark 10- very hot |
Ratios for selected foods
| Measure | Equivalents | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | |||
| 1 T. 1 stick |
14 grams 4 ounces=113 grams |
1 Tablespoon 8 tablespoons |
½ cup |
| 4 sticks | 16 ounces=452 grams | 32 tablespoons | 2 cups |
| Lemon | |||
| 1 lemon | 1 to 3 tablespoons juice, 1 to 1½ teaspoons grated zest | ||
| 4 large lemons | 1 cup juice | ¼ cup grated zest | |
| Chocolate | |||
| 1 ounce | ¼ cup grated 40 grams | ||
| 6 ounces chips | 1 cup chips 160 grams | ||
| cocoa powder | 1 cup 115 grams | ||
| Creams | |||
| Half and half | ½ milk ½ cream | 10.5 to 18 % butterfat | |
| Light cream | 18 % butterfat | ||
| Light whipping cream | 26-30 % butterfat | ||
| Heavy cream | whipping cream | 36 % or more butterfat | |
| Double cream | extra-thick double cream, Clotted or Devonshire |
42 % butterfat | |
Measures for Pans and Dishes
| Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|
| 9-by-13-inches baking dish | 22-by-33-centimeter baking dish |
| 8-by-8-inches baking dish | 20-by-20-centimeter baking dish |
| 9-by-5-inches loaf pan (8 cups in capacity) | 23-by-12-centimeter loaf pan (2 liters in capacity) |
| 10-inch tart or cake pan | 25-centimeter tart or cake pan |
| 9-inch cake pan | 22-centimeter cake pan |
ONLINE METRIC CONVERSION CALCULATORS
BEST FOR COOKING:
Cooking Conversion Online -I use this one all the time. It is an excellent food specific metric converter (as long as you can look past the advertisements!)
Good Basic Calculator:
Worldwide Metric – General conversion chart (not food specific)
Everything Converter:
Ask Numbers – This is a fun one as it includes things like speed, power and shoe size! The cooking calculator is not food specific.
(Not Recommended: Many food sites have a widget on their sites called the Culiverter. This calculator is not food specific which is why I do not recommend using it.
- How to Measure Food ( Video)
- Measuring Different Ingredients in Cooking
- Measuring Food around the World
- Measuring Liquids
- Measuring by Weight
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Chef-Dezzie said:
This is very helpful, thanks!