Note To Those Visiting America
If you, as a non-American, are ever visiting here and you decide to cook, please understand that the cup is an actual form of measurement.
If the soup mix says, heat 2/3rds of a cup of water and then mix with the soup, that is 2/3rds of an 8 ounce cup. It does NOT mean 2/3rds of whatever cup you happen to want to use. Guess what? A teaspoon is also a precise form of measurement. It does not mean find a random spoon that you've used for tea and use that. We don't use the metric system here because we are stubborn. Sorry about that.
This public service announcement has come too late for SOME non-natives *coughs*. Not mentioning any names *coughs*. Hopefully, though, it helps the rest of you!
If the soup mix says, heat 2/3rds of a cup of water and then mix with the soup, that is 2/3rds of an 8 ounce cup. It does NOT mean 2/3rds of whatever cup you happen to want to use. Guess what? A teaspoon is also a precise form of measurement. It does not mean find a random spoon that you've used for tea and use that. We don't use the metric system here because we are stubborn. Sorry about that.
This public service announcement has come too late for SOME non-natives *coughs*. Not mentioning any names *coughs*. Hopefully, though, it helps the rest of you!
posted by Kira | 4:40 AM
11 Comments:
You may think it's funny, but I am GLAD you said that about the teaspoon. I didn't think of that either...
Kira, wait until you go to France and try to follow a recipe there! Everything is in grams...and you realize that liquid weighs more than powder and you ask yourself if you need a different form of measurement...
But why would you cook over there when there are all those fabulous restaurants???
Alex--haha! Well, I thought after the infamous "cup" incident, I'd better slap up a warning about teaspoons too. I bought you measuring spoons too, and they are in your silverware drawer ;)
Laura--actually, I cooked over in France! But, I cooked meals that were mine or ones that I had made repeatedly in the US, so I didn't need measuring utensils. I became used to cooking in the metric system over in England when I was dating an English guy, though. I still have issues thinking metric or in celsius. I DO now have an idea if somebody says something in Celsius if it's warm or cold or hot or freezing, but the rest of the metric system is not a programmed language in my head.
As far as the liquid vs. powder thing, well, it is for us too! A cup of powder is NOT the same measurement as a cup of liquid. That's why we have different measuring utensils for different items to measure. So it's not THAT different that way...or am I missing something there?
C'mon, spill the name(s). I love to go over to people's blogs and say "nyaaah, dumbkopf" and things like that. Also: "You meathead."
Yes, SC, I have problems with measurements too. However, I don't go metric. I prefer the "well, that looks like enough" method.
I would say that I think that it's not just a European problem, but a general "man" problem. However, there's guys like Emeril all over the t.v. that make that statement look silly.
I like to find recipes from recipesource.com, and I get confused with those in metric. Also what's a pinch and dash? I don't have any cups or spoons that say either.
WHAT??? There are different dry vs. liquid measuring cups in the US??? No wonder my meals all taste like crap! ;)
As I did for Firefly...
30 is hot
20 is nice
10 is chilly
0 is ice
Ahem -- '"man" problem'? Geez. Hey, Kira, stick up for me, will ya? ;) Though I think we have Fannie Farmer (female, I assume) to thank for standardizing the tablespoon/teaspoon/dessertspoon mess. I have an old measuring "cup" that has four teaspoons to the tablespoon, which is not standard. I don't even know how big a dessertspoon is supposed to be. Does anyone know?
As to "dash" and "pinch": A pinch is the amount you can pinch between finger and thumb, which gives one a lot of leeway. A dash is the amount you can hold while dashing because you've pinched something, or someone. ;)
BTW, I interchange dry and liquid measure cups all the time. The volume is the same; cup construction and technique of use differ.
Joe- my sincerest apologized. And thank you for explaining a pinch and dash. You're awesome!
April -- you ought to see me in person: then I even tell the truth sometimes. ;) I think there is a better definition for dash than "shake a tiny bottle once," but I can't remember it, and was too lazy to look it up (or too much of an entertainer to avoid trying to make a joke -- dunno which).
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