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Measuring Cups and Spoons Buying Guide

The most important part of a recipe is measuring. Without measuring ingredients our culinary adventures would not turn out to be delicious little morsels. Instead they would turn into inedible pieces of nothing. So here is the guide dedicated to the most important utensil the kitchen has to offer.

How to Measure

Don't laugh, many of us actually need help in this department.


Dry Measuring: Fill a heaping (piled over) cup or spoon. Take a flat edged knife (or index cards work well) and scrape extra back into its container.

  • Do not fill a cup measurer by scooping it directly out of your supply of dry ingredients. Instead, use an extra spoon or scoop to sprinkle the ingredients into your measuring devise, otherwise you measurement may be very inaccurate.

Sifted Ingredients: There are two ways to measure sifted ingredients.

  • 30mL sifted flour: means sift and THEN measure.
  • 30mL flour, sifted: means measure and THEN sift.

Packed Ingredients: Specifically Brown Sugar.

  • In order to measure Brown sugar, firmly pack it into your measuring cup. It should keep the shape of the cup when it is removed.

Liquid Measuring:

  • Due to the chemical properties of liquids, when measuring you need to measure to the "meniscus". The important part is not the name but to remember to look for the bottom of the curve when pouring the liquid in the cup. Don't worry if you can't figure it out the first time. Just practice. After all, practice makes perfect.
Types of Kitchen Measuring Tools

Dry Measure Cups 

  • Are used for dry ingredients such as flour, grains, rice and sugar.
  • Packaged in sets of 250ml, 125ml, 80ml, 60ml and 30ml cups, these measuring utensils can now be found in various shapes and colours.

Liquid Measuring Cups 

  • Are used to measure liquids such as milk, oil and water for recipes.
  • They are often labelled with both metric and English units for convenience.

Measuring Spoons 

  • Are used to measure out smaller quantities of both liquid and dry ingredients.
  • Are packaged in various combinations ranging usually from 1.25mL to 15mL.

Accuracy in Measuring

We know that measuring is important, but what is the point if we can't get an accurate measurement? Well, there really isn't any, but we should take a hint from all those fabulous cooking programs on t.v. and PREP!

Why prep?

  • We can sometimes be hasty in the kitchen and ignore instructions. While we obviously don't mean to mistake measurements, it can happen. One and a half mL is just not the same as one half mL, no matter how we might try to convince ourselves its ok.
  • We start before figuring out what ingredients we need. If you are anything like me, you've started a recipe and discovered half way through, you are out of the one main ingredient you need. Most recipes are not forgiving enough to let you leave to buy the ingredient in the local store and come back.

By preparing your ingredients prior to turning on your stove or oven, you will reduce measuring mistakes.

Here are a couple of products to help with accuracy problems! 

Angled Measuring Cups 

  • Problem: Can't figure out how to measure liquids accurately? Don't know what a meniscus is?
  • Solution Well don't worry you don't need to know what a meniscus is any more. The angled measuring cup takes all accuracy woes away. All you have to do is pour and look straight into the cup to find your measurement. When the liquid raises to the level of your measurement you are done.

Adjust-a-cup 

  • Problem: Don't know what to use for molasses, brown sugar or sticky honey?
  • Solution: Get an Adjust-a-cup. Not only does this product have measurements for both dry and liquid ingredients, it is designed to get rid of sticky messes. To use the Adjust-a-cup pull the plunger to the level of your measurement, fill it with your sticky substance, and simply push it into your mixing bowl. No more trying to scrape out the last little drips in the corners of your measuring cups.

Related Guides

Kitchen Mixers

Bakeware

Whisks

Health and Beauty

Food and Beverage

For Extra Help