On Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:42:20 -0000, "Ophelia" > wrote:

>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 once read of someone transcribing nana's recipe for what-have-you:

'add a little water...'

'how *much* water, nana?'

'oh, about a mouthful.'

your pal,
blake