From The Cookery Year
by Reader’s Digest Association Ltd., London
“Metrication has entered every cook’s life, but it us
proceeding at an uneven rate. A set of kitchen scales may be marked in pounds
and ounces or in kilograms and grams- or in both. The ingredients for a recipe
may be sold in metric units, yet the recipe itself may rely on the traditional
Imperial measurements. The golden rule is never to mix the two: work either in Imperial
units or entirely in metric measurements. No cook could spare the time for the
infinitesimal adjustments needes to give precise Imperial-metric equivalents
(1lb = 0.454 kg, for example). The equivalents given here are approximate only,
but are close enough to ensure successful results in the kitchen.”
METRIC TO IMPERIAL
WEIGHT
The metric unit is the kilogram (kg) which equals 1000 grams
(g) or approx. 2lb 4 oz
In Imperial pound (lb) approx. equals 450 g- slightly less
than ½ kilogram (500 g)
Metric
Approx. Imperial equivalent
25 g ………… 1 oz
50 g ………… 2 oz
75 g ………… 3 oz
100- 125 g …. 4 oz
150 g ………. 5 oz
175 g ………. 6 oz
200 g ………. 7 oz
225 g ………. 8 oz
250 g ………. 9 oz
275 g ………. 10 oz
300 g ………. 11 oz
325- 350 g …. 12 oz
375 g ………. 13 oz
400 g ………. 14 oz
425 g ………. 15 oz
450 g ………. 16 oz (1 lb)
500 g ( ½ kg).. 17 ½
oz
700 g ……….. 1 ½ lb
900 g ………. 2 lb
1 kg ………… 2.2 lb
1.5 kg ………. 3.3 lb
2 kg ……….. 4.4 lb
2.5 kg ……… 5.5 lb
3 kg ……….. 6.6 lb
3.5 kg ……… 7.7 lb
4 kg ………... 8.8 lb
4.5 kg ………. 10 lb
5 kg ………… 11 lb
LIQUID CAPACITY
The standard metric unit is the litre (l) containing 100
deciliters (dl) or 1000 mililiters (ml). The litre is equal to 1 ¾ pints (35
fluid oz)
The Imperial pint (20 fluid oz) measures slightly more than ½
litre- approx. 575 mililiters (ml)
Metric
Approx. Imperial equivalent
1 ml .............. 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
25 ml ……… 1 fluid oz (fl)
25 ml ……… 1 fluid oz (fl)
50 ml ……… 2 fluid oz
75 ml ……… 3 fluid oz
100- 125 ml .. 4 fluid
oz
150 ml ……… 5 fluid oz
175 ml ……… 6 fluid oz
200 ml ……… 7 fluid oz
225 ml ……… 8 fluid oz
250 ml ……… 9 fluid oz
275- 300 ml … 10 fluid
oz ( ½ pint)
575- 600 ml … 20 fluid
oz (1 pint)
1000 ml …….. 35 fluid
oz
LENGTH
Cake, breads and biscuit tins, kitchen foil and similar
items are now sold in meters (m) equalling 100 centimiters (cm) or 1000
milimeters (mm). The metre equals 1 yd 3 in.
The Imperial yard of 36 in. is slightly shorter than the
metre (m).
Metric
Approx. Imperial equivalent
3 mm ……… 1/8 in
5 mm ……… ¼ in
10 mm (1 cm).. ½ in
2 cm ………. ¾ in
2.5 cm ……… 1 in
3 cm ………... 1 ¼ in
4 cm ………... 1 ½ in
4.5 cm ……… 1 ¾ in
5 cm ……….. 2 in
10 cm ………. 4 in
15 cm ………. 6 in
20.5 cm …….. 8 in
25.4 cm …….. 10 in
30.5 cm …….. 12 in (1 ft)
91.5 cm …….. 36 in (1
yd)
100 cm (1m) ... 39 in
SPOON/ CUP
MEASUREMENTS
All of the measurements given are for levelled spoonfuls
(British Imperial Standards)
1/5 teaspoon = 1 mililiter (ml)
1 teaspoon = 5 mililiters (5 ml)
1 dessertspoon = 10 mililiters (10 ml)
1 Tablespoon = 15 mililiters (15 ml) = ½ fl oz
2 Tablespoon = 1 fl oz
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1/16 cup = 1 Tablespoon
1/8 cup = 2 Tablespoon
1/6 cup = 2 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
¼ cup = 4 Tablespoon
1/3 cup = 5 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup = 6 Tablespoon
½ cup = 8 Tablespoon
2/3 cup = 10 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
¾ cup = 12 Tablespoon
1 cup = 16 Tablespoon = 48 teaspoons =
1 cup = 8 fluid oz (fl oz) = 240 ml
2 cups = 1 pint (pt)
4 cups = 2 pints (pt) = 1 quart (qt)
4 quarts = 1 gallon (gal)
GRANNY’S MEASUREMENTS
Pinch, Dash, and Smidgen are a lot like Bunch, Few, and Some
- there is no precise measurement. A pinch is what you can pick up between your
finger and thumb. But, for folks that just have to know, here are commonly
accepted conversions.
A Hint = tiny amount ( ½ drop)
A Drop = 1/64 teaspoon ( ½ smidgen)
A Smidgen = 1/32 teaspoon ( ½ pinch)
A Pinch = 1/16 teaspoon ( ½ dash)
A Dash = 1/8 teaspoon ( ½ tad)
A Tad = ¼ teaspoon
¼ stick butter = 2
Tablespoons
1 stick butter = ½ cup
Juice of a lemon = 3 Tablespoons
Juice of an orange = ½ cup
OVEN TEMPERATURES
The thermostatic dials on some electric cookers are marked
in Centigrade. These correspond to Fahrenheit and gas markings as follows:
oF oC
Gas Mark Temperature
250 …. 130 …. ½ ….
Very cool
275 …. 140 ….
1 …. Very cool
300 …. 150 ….
2 …. Cool
325….. 160-170 ..
3 …. Warm
350 …. 180 …. 4
…. Moderate
375 …. 190 …. 5
…. Fairly hot
400 …. 200 …. 6 ….. Fairly hot
425 …. 210-220..
7 …..
Hot
450 …. 230 …. 8 ….. Very Hot
475 …. 240 …. 9 …… Very Hot
