THE RECIPE TRANSLATOR (2024)

THE RECIPE TRANSLATOR

Old time recipes are an interesting challenge to translate. My collection of antique cookbooks has made me aware that as the generations go by, we have dealt with more than just trying to figure out the Metric System.

Butter the size of an egg. A quart of sugar. A dessert spoonful of something or other. Fabulous old recipes that just beg to be recreated, but how do you do it successfully?

ANTIQUE AND MODERN KITCHEN WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

This is my homemade Chart of Antique and Modern Kitchen Weights and Measures, which I hope will simplify the task.

THE RECIPE TRANSLATOR: LIQUID WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

• 1 teacupful = 4 ounces = 1/2 cup
• A dash (liquid) = A few drops
• A common sized tumbler holds 1/2 pint
• 1 wineglass = 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
• 2 wineglasses = 1 gill
• 1 gill = 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
• 2 gills = 1/2 pint = 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
• 1 pony = 1 ounce
• 1 jigger = 1 1/2 fluid ounces = 3 tablespoons
• 1 large jigger = 2 fluid ounces = 1/4 cup
• 60 drops = 1 teaspoon = 1 drachm
• 16 drachms = 1 ounce
• 1 pint (liquid) = 1 pound
• 1 cup = 8 liquid ounces = 16 tablespoons = 1/2 pint
• 1 pint = 2 cups = 16 liquid ounces = 32 tablespoons
• 1 quart = 2 pints = 1/4 gallon = 4 cups = 32 liquid ounces
• 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups = 128 liquid ounces
• 2 tablespoons liquid weighs 1 ounce

Click on any image to find out more about the item! #ad

THE RECIPE TRANSLATOR: DRY WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

• 1 dessert spoon = 1 soup spoon = 2 teaspoons
• 1 salt spoon = 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 rounded tablespoon = 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon = 1/2 ounce
• 16 tablespoons = 1 cup = 1/2 pint
• A few grains OR a pinch OR a dash OR a speck, etc. (dry) = Less than 1/8 teaspoon
• 8 dry quarts = 1 peck
• 1 dry quart = 2 dry pints
• 1 bushel = 4 (dry) pecks

• 1 ounce = 1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
• 2 ounces = 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
• 4 ounces = 1/2 cup
• 8 ounces = 1 cup
• 16 ounces = 1 pound

• 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
• 2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
• 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
• 6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
• 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
• 12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
• 16 tablespoons = 1 cup

• 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons = 5/8 cup
• 3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons = 7/8 cup
• 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup

THE RECIPE TRANSLATOR: INGREDIENTS

Flour:

• 4 cups = 1 pound = 1 quart
• 8 quarts = 1 peck
• 4 pecks = 1 bushel
• 4 tablespoons = 1 ounce
• 2 rounded tablespoons flour weighs 1 ounce

Cake Flour:

• 4 1/2 cups = 1 pound

Corn Meal:

• 3 cups = 1 pound
• 1 pound 2 ounces = 1 quart
• 1 1/2 pints = 1 pound

Sugar, Loaf, Broken:

• 1 pound = 1 quart

Sugar, Powdered:

• 3 1/2 cups = 1 pound
• 1 pound 1 ounce = 1 quart
• 2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar weighs 1 ounce

Sugar, Granulated:

• 2 cups = 1 pound = 1 pint
• 4 cups = 2 pounds = 2 pints = 1 quart
• 2 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar weighs 1 ounce

Sugar, Brown:

• 2 3/4 cups = 1 pound
• 1 pound 2 ounces = 1 quart

Butter or Shortening:

• Butter the size of an egg = 2 ounces = 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
• Butter the size of a walnut = 1 heaping tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons = 1 ounce
• 2 cups = 1 pound = 1 pint
• 1/4 stick = 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 stick = 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
• 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 1/4 pound
• 4 sticks = 2 cups = 1 pound
• 1 cup = 1/2 pound

Eggs:

• 1 egg = 1 1/4 to 2 ounces
• 9 large eggs = 1 pound
• 10 medium eggs = 1 pound
• 12 small eggs = 1 pound
• 1 goose egg = 4 to 6 ounces
• 1 turkey egg = 3 to 4 ounces
• 1 duck egg = 2 to 3 ounces
• 5 eggs = About 1 cup
• 8 egg whites = About 1 cup
• 13 to 16 egg yolks = 1 cup
• 1 dozen eggs = 1 1/2 pounds

Now you are ready to get out those antique cookbooks and treasured family recipes and give them a try. Think of how many copies your grandmothers wrote out by hand in the days before photocopiers!

Recipes bring back such happy memories, and passing them down to your children is important. I have recipes that are over 100 years old that are still in use by my family. And they actually do get better with age!

HAPPY COOKING! Susan