On Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:29:07 -0800, none >
wrote:

>Tara wrote:
>> On Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:56:19 -0500, Goomba38 >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Tara wrote:
>>>
>>>> One of my old cookbooks -- I think it is the original Fannie Farmer --
>>>> is always calling for "a few grains" of cayenne. I just love that
>>>> phrase.
>>>>
>>>> Tara
>>> But there is a measurement called "grains" in the old apothecary system.
>>> You know you've probably seen it but never thought about it since it is
>>> rarely used today except for aspirin (standard 5 grain tablet is aprox
>>> 325 mg)
>>> Could old Fannie have been using it??
>>
>> Oh, that's interesting! I had no idea. How is it measured -- a
>> weight or a volume? I'm not sure whether or not that's what Fannie
>> Farmer was asking for. Was it a standard of household measurement at
>> the time? Was cayenne sold by the grain?
>>
>> I just like the picture of a nineteenth century housewife carefully
>> sifting out a few grains of spice. So, a few grains measured by the
>> apothecary would be about half the size of an aspirin tablet.
>>
>> It's all fascinating to me. I love historical cookbooks.
>>
>> Tara
>
>Weight.
>I try a lot of odd hobbies, and for a while I tried hand-loading pistol
>cartridges for target shooting. Powder scales still use "grains" as a
>measure of weight.
>So a mild-but-accurate target load of say, 3.2 grains of Winchester 231
>powder would drive a 148 grain hollow-based lead bullet to 800 feet per
>second from a 38 special revolver. That'd be the HARD way to get your
>Thanksgiving turkey...

nah. you just point the .38 at the cook and say 'gimme your turkey.'
no need to actually expend the bullet.

your pal,
blake