Metric system measurements to American measurements

mjd said:
I'm not really worried about being in a nursing home. I am more likely to end up at the Funny Farm where I imagine I can eat chocolate and finger paint all day. ;-)
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It's not about being in a nursing home, many of us may likely end up in one. It's about the incompetence of future generations taking care of the elderly. Might be nice if caregivers can count the dosage of your medications properly!
 
CookieMonster said:
lots and lots of slept-through-science-class-Americans are unaware there are ounces of weight and ounces of volume.

but that's not the issue - the real is is as mentioned: density.
translating from cups (US) to grams (Eur) is problematic.
adding to the problem: stuff like flour - difference brands are different ginds, wheat types, etc etc etc and x grams of one flour does not work of like x grams of any other flour.

salt is the same density issue. the weight of a teaspoon of sea/kosher/table/popcorn salt is not the same.
different brands of kosher salt - grains or flakes - are not the same.....
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I have been aware of this for a long time. Also, being a car guy, Everything now is metric, so I can pick out the right wrench or socket by sight just as well with metric or SAE.

As for ounces to grams, I've had two sets of measuring cups for fluid ounces and dry ounces for decades. I also have a good kitchen scale (OXO) that reads in ounces and grams of weight.

So, If I am using a European recipe, I just use my scale set to grams. No conversion needed.

As for converting my recipes before posting, it would be nice of me, but I hate writing up recipes in general, so converting them would make my brain hurt. I look at it as a reciprocal agreement... I'll convert your recipes and you convert mine -- assuming you even want to cook one of my recipes.

CD
 
JAS_OH1 said:
It's not about being in a nursing home, many of us may likely end up in one. It's about the incompetence of future generations taking care of the elderly. Might be nice if caregivers can count the dosage of your medications properly!
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If those jobs paid a professional wage, the caregivers would be professional grade. But, that's off-topic.

CD
 
Butter - I buy imported Kerrygold butter (Irish) that comes in sticks. Probably packaged just for us difficult Americans. Are British packaged of butter labeled in knobs? :)

I have liquid cup measures (Pyrex) and dry cup measures (Calphalon, I just checked). Flour, cornmeal, sugar...I don't measure those in the Pyrex. Actually, I usually weigh the dry stuff, as I pretty much have it committed to memory how much a cup of this or that weighs, and I can usually do the math in either direction to get to whatever amount I'm after.

I started working in a retail operation at 9yo, cash or check only, and worked there for 10 years. I can make change in my head nearly as fast as the register. :)
 
TastyReuben said:
Butter - I buy imported Kerrygold butter (Irish) that comes in sticks. Probably packaged just for us difficult Americans. Are British packaged of butter labeled in knobs? :)

I have liquid cup measures (Pyrex) and dry cup measures (Calphalon, I just checked). Flour, cornmeal, sugar...I don't measure those in the Pyrex. Actually, I usually weigh the dry stuff, as I pretty much have it committed to memory how much a cup of this or that weighs, and I can usually do the math in either direction to get to whatever amount I'm after.

I started working in a retail operation at 9yo, cash or check only, and worked there for 10 years. I can make change in my head nearly as fast as the register. :)
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I tried Kerrygold. Meh. I found a Land-O-Lakes butter with an even higher butterfat content than Kerrygold. Works great for me. and it comes in sticks marked in 1 tablespoon increments.

I could count out change back when cash registers made you figure it out. I doubt I could do it, now.

CD
 
TastyReuben said:
Butter - I buy imported Kerrygold butter (Irish) that comes in sticks. Probably packaged just for us difficult Americans. Are British packaged of butter labeled in knobs? :)

I started working in a retail operation at 9yo, cash or check only, and worked there for 10 years. I can make change in my head nearly as fast as the register. :)
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I've seen butter sold here in rolls (Amish butter).

That's something I have always been able to do, quickly make change or figure out the difference in values. I don't know how or why I have always been good with money like that, but it's something I taught my stepkids, also how to multiply in monetary increments, mostly on the 5, 10, 25, and 75 numbers (4 x $2.75 = $11). I think it's a useful thing to know.
 
TastyReuben said:
Butter - I buy imported Kerrygold butter (Irish) that comes in sticks. Probably packaged just for us difficult Americans. Are British packaged of butter labeled in knobs? :)
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LOL now that would fun :happy:

No....ours just come in 250g blocks (occasionally 500g blocks).
If I remember correctly, some of them have 50g (or 25g?) increments marked on the packets, but I can't remember which brands do that. Generally its just a big block that we cut a bit off and weigh.
 
when cooking for two, reducing recipes from Army size, , , ,
you need a scale.
I converted to weighing everything - liquids included - using grams - altho for t and T I use my measuring spoons.

downscaling recipes does wind up with odd amounts - which is why the decimal system & grams is so much more convenient. if you need 2/3 of 1-3/4 cups of flour the math goes all wonky real quick. 1.6666 cups is tricky to measure, 5.8333 ounces is not a native unit in ounces, but 165.4 grams is seriously more easier to measure.

if you're 'documenting' a from head recipe, put the ingredient jar/tub/whatever on the scale, tare it to zero, add the ingredient until you're happy. the scale will then show (example) " -223 grams " - that's how much "stuff" you put into the mix....
 
TastyReuben said:
Are British packaged of butter labeled in knobs? :)
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No Tasters mate only those who buy it. I only buy this or any summer alpine butter .
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Really - its very easy to convert weights and measures on line. I found this in seconds regarding butter:

So that tbsp of butter discussed above = 14.2g


BUTTER CONVERSION CHARTS

Butter Stick Weights and Measurements
Butter weight conversion chart
Butter SticksCupsGramsOuncesPound
1 stick1/2113.4g4 oz.25 lb
half stick1/456.7g2 oz–
two sticks 1226.8g8 oz.5 lb
Four Sicks–453.616 oz 1 lb
1 tablespoon–14.2g1/2 oz–

Butter measurement equivalents
US CupsGramsOuncesTablespoons
1/8 cup of Butter28.4 g1 oz2 Tbsp
1/4 cup of Butter56.7 g2 oz4 Tbsp
1/3 cup of Butter75.6 g2.7 ozApprox 5 Tbsp
3/8 cup of Butter85 g3 oz6 Tbsp
½ cup of Butter113.4 g4 oz8 Tbsp
5/8 cup of Butter141.8 g5 oz10 Tbsp
2/3 cup of Butter151.2 g5.3 oz11 Tbsp
¾ cup of Butter170.1 g6 oz12 Tbsp
7/8 cup of Butter198.5 g7 oz14 Tbsp
1 cup of Butter226.8 g8 oz16 Tbsp
Common Butter Weight Conversions
US Butter WeightsGramsOunces
1 stick113.4g4 oz
1/2 stick56.7g2 oz
1 cup225g8 oz
1/2 cup113.4g4 oz
1 tablespoon14.2g1/2 oz
1 teaspoon4.7g0.02 oz
1 pound450g16 oz
 
JAS_OH1 said:
So we have this wonderful international community here, and I was curious if it bothers forum members from other countries when Americans post recipes using teaspoons, cups, etc.? I have measuring cups that also have the metric measurements on the other side, is that pretty much standard in other countries as well? When I post a recipe, should I be transposing it into metric measurements as well to make it easier for people from other countries or are you all just used to it by now?

Making an entry for the recipe contest tomorrow and just wondering how other people feel about this.
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I do try to remember to convert measurements. I have seen metric recipes that use tablespoons and teaspoons, so I haven't been converting those. I admit I sometimes forget, or a number escapes me to convert.

I have an analog weight scale (two of them, actually), and one side is grams the other is ounces (or pounds for the larger one). I weigh things and whichever side is easier to read / closest to rounding out grams or ounces is the side I record. So some of my recipes are often first written in metric!
 
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