Something which annoys me about recipes...

I've decided Ian or Peter (or whoever it was from the UK who pointed this out a while ago) is right, and we would all be better off if recipes worked purely on weight measurements rather than anything else. Sometimes a half cup of brown sugar, firmly packed, can weigh 25% more or less than other times, depending on how firmly it's packed. And darn it all, exactly how much onion is there in "2 onions, finely chopped" ? I've seen an onion which is three times bigger than the one right next to it. I'd make an exception for quantities less than say a couple of teaspoons, but even when you get to tablespoon measures, it becomes confusing, as a US Tbsp is 15ml, whereas an Aus one is 20ml (as far as I can tell, a standard tsp is 5ml everywhere).

Can someone please tell me why US cookbooks often refer to butter in tablespoons? I've seen cake recipes that specify "16 Tbsp unsalted butter", and I've never understood why - does butter in the US come in a tub that can be scooped out with a Tbsp? Over here it usually comes in a 250g block.

Aaaah. I feel better now I've got that off my chest, thanks for listening.

Cheers, and Happy New Year to you all!

Celia

[David M. Bueker]

The butter answer is easy - in the USA, butter commonly comes in 1/4 lb. wrapped sticks (4 to a box). The wrappers have little markings for each tablespoon.

Each stick is 8 tablespoons. A normal cookie recipe takes 16 tablespoons or 2 sticks.

As for much of the rest, I agree. You should have seen the onion I had on the counter Tuesday. I think it wanted to be a pumpkin.

[Jenise]

I've decided Ian or Peter (or whoever it was from the UK who pointed this out a while ago) is right, and we would all be better off if recipes worked purely on weight measurements rather than anything else....And darn it all, exactly how much onion is there in "2 onions, finely chopped" ?

I've long thought this is what separates the bakers from the cooks. And it's why you're a great baker and I'm not. I despise being slowed down by the effort of having to measure anything, and am completely comfortable (and successful, I might add) eyeballing ingredients in a coffee mug or the bottom of my hand. I don't even own a kitchen scale.

I've long thought this is what separates the bakers from the cooks. And it's why you're a great baker and I'm not. I despise being slowed down by the effort of having to measure anything, and am completely comfortable (and successful, I might add) eyeballing ingredients in a coffee mug or the bottom of my hand.

I could have written that! And that's one reason I have a tough time writing recipes.

[Jenise]

I could have written that!

I'll bet most of those who consider themselves cooks vs. bakers could too. A great baker has two things: a love for precision, and a sweet tooth. Great cooks are more extemporaneous, which is why their cuisine is in a constant state of evolution.

Btw you're up too early, haven't you heard it's a holiday?

Remember, we're an hour ahead of you.

I slept in like a lazy bum, not getting up until 6.

I consider myself a pretty good baker, but I have no love for precision. I just know that's how it works best when I am learning a new baked good of whatever kind. However, after I have become familiar with a recipe, I often just wing it, because I then know how it is supposed to look and feel and can get that result without being so precise.

On the other hand, I am not a bad cook either, and I do tend to cook more often than not just by feel, not recipe.

(Now I'm going back to bed! )

Yeah, but if you guys ever did use a recipe, I bet it would still be easier to know how much the peeled onions weighed rather than trying to guess a quantity on a number.

Thanks for the butter headsup, David - that all makes sense now! Our butter is marked in 50g increments.

My friend from Japan, Fumiko, and I had a cooking marathon this past summer. Rather than my trying to convert American recipes to kilos and grams, or she trying to make the conversions from Cups, tsps, and Tbsps when she returned home, I gifted her a set of measuring cups and spoons upon her departure. Mystery solved!

I could have written that!

I'll bet most of those who consider themselves cooks vs. bakers could too. A great baker has two things: a love for precision, and a sweet tooth. Great cooks are more extemporaneous, which is why their cuisine is in a constant state of evolution.

Btw you're up too early, haven't you heard it's a holiday?

Not real good generalizing here, Jenise.

I'm both a cook and a baker. And I don't have a sweet tooth. I prefer baking breads and rolls. Most pastry chefs have a sweet tooth. There is a difference. The French are very careful about separating the two professions.

As to the writing of recipes. It's always a compromise. I never write one until I have made the dish dozens of times - and in different manners. When I teach I tell folks there's more than one way to do it. But when you write it down it becomes cast in ink and paper.

Baking does require more precision because one is dealing more with science than art. Science can be learned. I'm not sure the same is true of art. Although cooking results are entirely predictable if one learns the basics of heat reactions before one tries to be an artist.

I forgot. In a professional bakery everything is weighed - even water.

I guess I fall in between the "cook" and "baker" designations. I can be precise and will measure out ingredients carefully if I need to . It's not my natural inclination to do so, though.

[David M. Bueker]

I guess I fall in between the "cook" and "baker" designations. I can be precise and will measure out ingredients carefully if I need to . It's not my natural inclination to do so, though.

I agree with that.

Ditto. If it's an old family recipe that I've made a hundred times, I can guesstimate and produce a perfectly good dish. If it's a new-to-me recipe though, I'll try to measure as well as I can. I have not in the past used scales much, but I think I need to do so more often, especially when baking.

[Jenise]

Not real good generalizing here, Jenise.

I'm both a cook and a baker. And I don't have a sweet tooth. I prefer baking breads and rolls. Most pastry chefs have a sweet tooth. There is a difference.

You're right, I generalized badly. When I said 'baker' I meant the pastry chef type and did not intend to throw bread baking out with the baby. Since bread is generally a savoury, I consider it rightfully the territory of cooks.