The most commonly used system of measuring in

The most commonly used system of measuring in the United States is based on standard or ‘customary’ units of measurement, which would include ‘volume’ measures such as ounces, teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, pints, and gallons. Measuring spoon sets, used for liquid and dry ingredients, usually include 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, and ¼ teaspoon. Measuring cup sets, used for dry ingredients and solid fats, usually include 1 cup, ½ cup, 1/3 cup, and ¼ cup. Some sets may include a 2/3 and a ¾ cup measure. 1 cup, 2 cup, and 1 quart liquid cup measures are transparent and have space above the top measurement line. You can carry a full cup without spilling.

Metric units of measurement are based on multiples of ten, and include milligrams, kilograms, milliliters, and liters. As long as you have the correct measuring equipment, it’s not necessary to convert measurements from one system to another. 1 cup All Purpose Flour: 4 3/8 oz or 125 g Any measurement by weight, whether using customary or metric units, is more accurate than using measuring cups or spoons.

Lightly spoon dry ingredients into the measuring cup, mounding the top. DO NOT SHAKE DOWN OR PACK. Using the flat side of a knife or a straightedge spatula, level the ingredients. Since there is some degree of error with each measurement, measure the fewest number of times possible. Brown sugar is the ONLY dry ingredient that is packed into the measuring cup. Pack the sugar, level the top, and invert. If packed correctly, the damp sugar should maintain the shape of the measuring unit.

Pack fats into a dry measuring cup, level the top, and remove with a rubber spatula, OR use a water-displacement method to measure. Example: measure ½ cup of water into a liquid measuring cup; add fat until the water level reaches the 1 cup mark; you have just measured ½ cup of fat. When using a scale to measure, place the bowl on the scale first, reset the scale to zero, and then measure in the ingredients. To measure liquids, set the cup measure in a level surface. Pour in the liquid to the right line and read it at eye-level. Food ingredients do not cause eye damage if splashed into the eyes.

The use of abbreviations saves time and space when writing menus and cookbooks. Tablespoon = T. or tbsp. Teaspoon = t. or tsp. Cup = c. Pint = pt. Quart = qt. Ounce = oz. Gallon = gal. Pound = lb. or # Calories = cal. Package = pkg. Large = lg. Medium = med. Small = sm.

1 pinch = (what you can hold between your thumb and your forefinger), less than 1/8 th teaspoon, a dash, a few grains 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon 16 tablespoons = 1 cup 2 cups = 1 pint 2 pints = 1 quart 4 quarts = 1 gallon 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup 16 ounces = 1 pound

Suppose you have a standardized recipe for chocolate chip cookies that yields 6 dozen cookies, but you only want to make 3 dozen cookies. You can often adjust ingredient amounts to change the yield. Read amounts of ingredients carefully, as some recipes are not well-suited for this. 2 sticks margarine 1 cup margarine 1 ½ cup granulated sugar 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs, beaten in one at a time 1 egg ½ tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 12 oz. chocolate chips 2 cups chocolate chips Cut each of these recipe ingredients in half to decrease the yield. Which of these recipes works best for this?

Mise en place includes the assembling, washing, measuring, cutting, and preparing ingredients, getting out equipment, preheating the oven, separating the eggs, boiling the water, lining the pan with paper, etc. The basic elements of mise en place include knife cuts, herbs, spices, and basic preparations. It includes any steps in food preparation that can be done ‘in advance’, without losing quality. Mise en place (meez ahn PLAHS) is a French term that means “to put in place”. It refers to any work you do in getting ready to cook, before you actually start cooking.

Mise en place steps that include knife skills are an important part of prepreparation. Use a ‘claw grip’, with fingertips curled back and under, to hold food when slicing. Choosing the correct knife for each task is important to the success of the effort. The hand holding the food item is called the ‘guiding hand’. When peeling a vegetable or fruit with a paring knife, cut straight toward your thumb.

A batonnet (ba-tun-AY) cut is ¼ x ¼ x 2 ½” Julienne (jew-lee-EN) cuts are 1/8 x 2 ½” Cut julienne pieces crosswise to brunoise The term ‘chop’ usually indicates a simple dice in the size of your choice. Cut batonnet pieces crosswise to dice… this is called small dice

Seasoning is very important in food preparation. ‘Mirepoix’ (meer-PWAH) is a combination of onion, carrots, and celery, either raw, roasted or sautéed with butter. It is the flavor base for a wide number of dishes, such as stocks, soups, stew, and sauces. Herbs (URBS) are the leaves, stems, or flowers of an aromatic plant, available fresh or dried. Crumble or grind dry herbs before adding them to your dish to release their flavor. When using fresh herbs, you must use 2– 3 times the amount called for in the recipe, as the dry herbs have a stronger flavor. Basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill, oregano, and sage are examples.

Spices are the bark, roots, seeds, buds, or berries of an aromatic plant, purchased whole or ground in dry form. Whole spices should be added early during the cooking process to release their flavors. Cut or ground spices should be added later in the cooking process. Examples of common spices are caraway, cayenne, chile pepper, cinnamon, cloves, curry, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, peppercorns, and sesame seeds. Each herb or spice has its own distinctive flavor. Using a combination of herbs and spices can reduce the amount of salt needed for flavor. Heat, light, and air speed the loss of flavor and color from herbs and spices. Store carefully.