Cup Measure. Hold the cup over the pan and fill with a
spoon or scoop, even with the groove if a part of a cup is
needed, and slightly more than full for a whole cup ; then with
the back of a table knife held perpendicularly scrape off
till it is level. Do not dip the cup into the material, nor
shake it when filling, nor press the material in when levelling.
A Scant Cup. Measure level, then remove two tablespoons
of material.
For liquids, stand the cup in a saucer and fill by pouring in
from a pitcher or something with a lip, as much as it will hold
without running over.
To measure butter or lard, cut small portions and pack in
closely, leaving no air spaces ; other solid materials like diced
vegetables, meat, fish, and bread should be filled in lightly.
Tablespoon and Teaspoon Measures. Fill by dipping the
spoon with the left hand into dry material ; take up, and with
a table knife in the right hand, scrape off all that is above
the rim of the spoon. With butter, cream, molasses or other
sticky substance, do not dip in, for a portion will cling to the
under side of the spoon and if removed and used, you will
have more than the correct proportion. With liquids like
melted butter, and molasses, fill by pouring ; with soft butter
and lard, fill by packing it level with a knife.
PREPARATORY WORK 81
Half Teaspoon. Fill teaspoon level, divide lengthwise,
scrape out one half. One fourth teaspoon, divide the half
portion crosswise, for one eighth, divide the quarter diagon-
ally.
Speck or Grains. This is the amount which may be taken
up on the point of a paring knife or other quarter-inch surface ;
or a slight shake from the pepper box.
Weights. Pupils should be taught the use of scales ; they
are necessary for meat and large quantities of fruit and
vegetables; they are convenient and economical for butter
and lard, as both time and material are wasted in packing
and removing butter from a cup, and also from a tablespoon
where several measurements are to be used.
By memorizing the tables of weights and measures, and
frequent comparisons of the two, and frequent practice in
dividing by the eye, accuracy may be secured. We are
expected to learn how to divide by the eye a loaf of bread or
cake into slices of given thickness, pies into sixths, and to
serve many foods in equal portions. It is equally easy and
equally desirable to save time and labor by cutting a pound
of butter into halves, quarters, and ounces; and by practice
be able to cut off with two strokes of a knife a cube which is
equivalent to two tablespoons. It should measure about
one and one fourth inches each way.
This cutting by the eye is very quickly done with print
butter which is partly divided into quarter-pounds, sometimes
into ounces. Divide the quarter-pound in the middle each
way, and you have one ounce or two tablespoons, the measure
most frequently used.
With tub butter weigh out a pound, pack it into rectangular
shape, then divide in halves, quarters, and again into quarters,
until you have the ounce portion. Where frequent portions
of measured butter are needed daily it is well to prepare
a quantity at a time and keep them cool until needed.
Page 45
Presented as published in 1915. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Cup Measure. Hold the cup over the pan and fill with a spoon or scoop, even with the groove if a part of a cup is needed, and slightly more than full for a whole cup ; then with the back of a table knife held perpendicularly scrape off till it is level. Do not dip the cup into the material, nor shake it when filling, nor press the material in when levelling.
A Scant Cup. Measure level, then remove two tablespoons of material.
For liquids, stand the cup in a saucer and fill by pouring in from a pitcher or something with a lip, as much as it will hold without running over.
To measure butter or lard, cut small portions and pack in closely, leaving no air spaces ; other solid materials like diced vegetables, meat, fish, and bread should be filled in lightly.
Tablespoon and Teaspoon Measures. Fill by dipping the spoon with the left hand into dry material ; take up, and with a table knife in the right hand, scrape off all that is above the rim of the spoon. With butter, cream, molasses or other sticky substance, do not dip in, for a portion will cling to the under side of the spoon and if removed and used, you will have more than the correct proportion. With liquids like melted butter, and molasses, fill by pouring ; with soft butter and lard, fill by packing it level with a knife.
Half Teaspoon. Fill teaspoon level, divide lengthwise, scrape out one half. One fourth teaspoon, divide the half portion crosswise, for one eighth, divide the quarter diagonally.
Speck or Grains. This is the amount which may be taken up on the point of a paring knife or other quarter-inch surface ; or a slight shake from the pepper box.
Weights. Pupils should be taught the use of scales ; they are necessary for meat and large quantities of fruit and vegetables; they are convenient and economical for butter and lard, as both time and material are wasted in packing and removing butter from a cup, and also from a tablespoon where several measurements are to be used.
By memorizing the tables of weights and measures, and frequent comparisons of the two, and frequent practice in dividing by the eye, accuracy may be secured. We are expected to learn how to divide by the eye a loaf of bread or cake into slices of given thickness, pies into sixths, and to serve many foods in equal portions. It is equally easy and equally desirable to save time and labor by cutting a pound of butter into halves, quarters, and ounces; and by practice be able to cut off with two strokes of a knife a cube which is equivalent to two tablespoons. It should measure about one and one fourth inches each way.
This cutting by the eye is very quickly done with print butter which is partly divided into quarter-pounds, sometimes into ounces. Divide the quarter-pound in the middle each way, and you have one ounce or two tablespoons, the measure most frequently used.
With tub butter weigh out a pound, pack it into rectangular shape, then divide in halves, quarters, and again into quarters, until you have the ounce portion. Where frequent portions of measured butter are needed daily it is well to prepare a quantity at a time and keep them cool until needed.