Measures and Tables

How to Measure

One cup, or one tablespoon, or one teaspoon, means a full measure - all it will hold of liquid, and even with the edge of dry material.

Stir up all packed materials, like mustard in its box, and sift flour before measuring. Fill cup without shaking down, and dip spoon in material, taking up a heaped measure, then with a knife scrape off towards the tip until you have level measure. Pack butter or lard in cup so there will be no air spaces. A scant cup means one-eigth less, and a heaped cup about one-eigth more than a level cup.

Divide a level spoon lengthwise for a half measure, and a half spoon crosswise for quarters or eigths. A pinch means about one-eigth, so does a saltspoon; less than that means a dash or a few grains.

A rounded tablespoon means filled above the rim as much as the spoon hollow below, and equals two of level measure. It also equals one ounce in weight, and two rounded tablespoons if put together would heap a tablespoon about as high as would an egg, giving us the old-time measure of "butter size of an egg" or two ounces, or one-fourth the cup. Butter and lard and flour for sauces are commonly measured by the rounded tablespoon by the experienced housekeeper.

Except in delicate cake, or where it is creamed with sugar, and in pastry (where it should be chilled to make a flaky crust), butter or fat may be most quickly and economically measured after it is melted. Keep a small supply in a granite cup, and when needed, stand the cup in hot water, and when melted, pour the amount desired into the spoon or cup. For all kinds of breakfast cakes, it is especially helpful to measure it in this way.

Soda, cream of tartar, baking powder, salt and spices, and some extracts, are generally measured with a teaspoon, level measure, for this gives the proportional amount needed for the cup measure of other materials.

Time Tables for Cooking