Dave Smith wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On 2017-03-29 11:23 AM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> > On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 20:09:19 -0400, Dave Smith
>
> > > How much variance do you expect there to be between any number of
> > > cups of flour leveled off with a finger? How would that slight
> > > variance compare to a weighed portion of flour on a cold dry day
> > > as opposed to a hot damp day? Most of our recipes are based on a
> > > volume measurement, so the weighed equivalents are going to be
> > > based on what a cup would be... 4 1/4 oz or 120 grams and son
> > > of a gun, 4 1/4 oz is actually 120.5 grams not 120. So we are
> > > expected to believe that it is more accurate to weigh the flour
> > > to get the exact measurement of a 120 grams when the cup of flour
> > > is actually 120.5? It is so much easier to just scoop out a cup
> > > and level it off.
> > >
> > up to 3 ounces. I know because I was an unbeliever years ago and I
> > did the experiment myself. Perhaps there won't be so much of a
> > variance for just yourself, but recipes are a method of sharing. A
> > lot depends upon whether you stir the flour first, whether the flour
> > has be fluffed, whether the bag of flour has sat around for a long
> > time,
> > whether you lightly scoop or whether you just jam the measure
> > through. I also followed on with the experiment by adding the
> > liquid required in a recipe -- liquid is always measure pretty
> > precisely because of the kitchen tools we use. I ended up with
> > bowls of flour mixture ranging from semi-liquid to something much
> > denser than the cement truck delivers. Now use that visualization
> > on your baked goods. Your argument is specious.
>
> I don't think it is my argument that is specious. I have stated in
> the past that recipes give specific measurements because they can be
> replicated using those amounts and that ingredients vary in quality
> and freshness. It may sound convincing to you that it is more
> accurate to weigh some ingredients than to use a volume measurement,
> but the fact remains that recipes tend to use standard amounts, like
> cups, pounds, grams, teaspoon or table spoon. It ain't written in
> stone that 120 grams is the absolute perfect amount for a recipe. It
> might actually be 122 grams, or 118 grams. It is convenient to round
> them off to more or less standard amounts, and those can vary as much
> with weight as they can with volume.
>
> As an example, a recipe might call for 500 grams of flour for a some
> sort of bread dough recipe. That is a nice even amount, and old
> balance scales would not have to dicker using extra counterweights.
> After it has risen and you start kneading it you will be using bench
> flour, and you use that as needed. There is no specific amount. I
> find it hard to believe that using an exact measurement of 500 grams
> leads to perfect results when you are going to be using an
> unspecified amount extra.

Smile, depends on type of bread making there. ABM users don't use
'bench flour' to adjust. They adjust the water instead (normally)

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