Oh pshaw, on Thu 22 Nov 2007 12:42:20a, Ophelia meant to say...

> jmcquown wrote:
>> MJB wrote:
>>> "Becca" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>>
>>>>> So: What is your opinion? How do you handle quantities in recipes?
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> //Herbert and Yvonne
>>>>
>>>> It would be safe to say that most of us throw recipes together,
>>>> using a handful of this and a dash of that. That can get tricky if
>>>> you are baking.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Formal recipes and measurements become an issue when you are trying
>>> to pass along something you make to somebody else.
>>
>> Like my German grandmother's recipe for date-nut coconut candy. Her
>> (hand-written) recipe called for "butter the size of a walnut". Well
>> gee, that tells me a lot! I managed to make it successfully by
>> adding a rather large lump of softened butter (more than 1 Tbs., less
>> than 2). She wrote all the recipes (at least, the ones she bothered
>> to write down) in that manner. She knew how to make it; writing it
>> down was problematic.
>
> But, but, but "butter the size of a walnut". is a scientific measurement
> don'tchaknow)
>
> well it was when I was wee)))
>
>
>

I suppose you had a walnut-sized spoon to measure it with. :-)

That's as bad as recipes that specify a liquid measure the equivalent of a
wine glass, or a dessert spoon full, or something the size of an egg.

Luckily, many people including myself, have a fairly good concept of what
needs go into a recipe.

Most of us know that cooking isn't rocket science nor does it require
laboratory precision measurements, except perhaps for certain baking, like
cakes, where the chemistry is essential.

--
Wayne Boatwright

Wednesday, November 21st,2007
¦ A mind is a terrible thing to lose... ¦
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