Measurements & Conversions

This list is not exhaustive for all of your cooking needs, but it should help you with trying to work with U.S. measurements, which is what I use for most of the Recipes on this website.  Cooking Measurements Conversion, an on-line resource, will also assist you in converting recipes between metric and imperial measurements. If you do use international recipes and cookbooks, you will want to invest in a kitchen scale that weighs in pounds, grams, and kilos and to have liquid and dry measures that read in millilitres and cups.

 
Basic Dry Measures (U.S.)

a pinch = 1/8 teaspoon (tsp.)
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) = 3 teaspoons (tsp.)
1/4 cup (c.) = 4 Tablespoons (Tbsp.)
1/3 cup (c.) = 5 1/3 Tablespoons (Tbsp.)
1/2 cup (c.) = 8 Tablespoons (Tbsp.)
1 cup (c.) = 16 Tablespoons (Tbsp.)

Basic Wet Measures (U.S.)

1 gallon = 4 quarts (qt.)
1 gallon = 8 pints (pt.)
1 gallon = 16 cups (c.)
1 gallon = 128 fluid ounces (fl oz.)

1 quart (qt.) = 2 pints (pt.)
1 quart (qt.) = 4 cups (c.)
1 quart (qt.) = 32 fluid ounces (fl oz.)

1 pint (pt.) = 2 cups (c.)
1 pint (pt.) = 16 fluid ounces (fl oz.)

1 cup (c.) = 8 fluid ounces (fl oz.)
 

Oven Temperatures

 

Fahrenheit (F)      Centigrade (C)      Gas Mark
225 degrees        110 degrees         1/4
250 degrees        130 degrees         1/2
275 degrees        140 degrees         1
300 degrees        150 degrees         2
325 degrees        170 degrees         3
350 degrees        180 degrees         4
375 degrees        190 degrees         5
400 degrees        200 degrees         6
425 degrees        220 degrees         7
450 degrees        230 degrees         8
475 degrees        240 degrees         9

 
Other non-standard measures

Bushel = 4 pecks (8 gallons or 32 quarts, depending upon commodity)
Dash = 1/8 teaspoon
dl (decilitre) = 1/10 of a litre (L) or 100 milliltres (ml)
Dollop = approximately 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon
Glug = approximately 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon

Knob of butter = approximately 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon
Pat of butter = about 1 teaspoon
Peck = 2 gallons, 8 quarts, 1/4 of a bushel
Smidge(n) = a little bit
Splash = 1/2 teaspoon
Sprinkle = 1/8 teaspoon
Tad = a little more than you did before

In my Kitchen Witch Tips, which appear at the bottom of several recipes, I’ve often noted some “translations” for cooking terms that I’ve used. Having lived in a few different countries, my recipes come from various sources and inspirations.

U.S.-UK Lexicon

As two countries separated by a common language (A fact noted by Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw – yes, I know that this is not an exact quote by either of them.), here are some additional cooking terms that I’ve interpreted from English to American.

Cilantro = Coriander (fresh)
Eggplant = Aubergine
Zucchini = Courgette
Superfine sugar = Caster sugar
Confectioners’ sugar = Icing sugar
Heavy whipping cream = Double cream
Light whipping cream = Single cream
Light brown sugar = Light Muscavado sugar
Dark brown sugar = Dark Muscavado sugar
Bread Roll/Sandwich Roll = Bap
Ground Beef = Mince
Ground [Meat] = Minced [Meat]
Tuna Salad = Tuna Mayonnaise
Egg Salad = Egg Mayonnaise