Measurements

[snowangel]

So, we have the standard measurements. Be they metic or not. The tablespoon. The quarter of a cup. The ounce. The kilo. The ML.

But, then there are those I grew up with. The glug. The smattering. The pinch.

But, the one on so many of the recipe cards in my great grandmother's recipe box -- those recipes written in spidery fountain pen ink -- is the tidge.

I do know that the older I get, the less I worry about precise measurements, unless I am baking something new. I can't remember the last time I actually got out a measuring spoon to measure a tablespoon of oil.

So, what's in your lingo? And, what would you think a tidge would be? How carefullyl do you measure?

[Chris Amirault]

Great topic. I always thought that a pinch was about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. A smidge was less than that, more like 1/8 teaspoon. Perhaps the smidge is a variant of the tidge?

[shelora]

Great topic. I always thought that a pinch was about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. A smidge was less than that, more like 1/8 teaspoon. Perhaps the smidge is a variant of the tidge?

←

And what about the smidgen? Is that a tad more than a smidge? Or less?

[snowangel]

According to my grandmother, a tidge was less than a smidge.

And, her mother's "pat" of butter was not that thing you get at a restaurant, on that waxy thick paper with that was paper quare on top that says "butter" in blue letters. Her pat was a 1/4" slice (at least) off a 1 lb. block of butter.

[Chris Amirault]

And what about the smidgen? Is that a tad more than a smidge? Or less?

←

Synonyms for my mom and grandmom, actually.

Anyone hear or use "dite" -- or perhaps "dight"? As in, "Just add a dite of salt."

[Pam R]

Great topic. I always thought that a pinch was about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon.

I think a pinch is ... literally a pinch. Less than an 1/8th tsp.

My grandma cooked with a bisel or biselah (which really just means a little... but how little?) or a shtikel (a bit)

[BarbaraY]

I worked with a woman who called for a "just a whisper" of garlic.

Another friend used a scoshe. (sp)

How much is a dollop?

[*Deborah*]

I would only use dollop for something like sour cream or yogourt or soft butter...I would tend to put a fat spoon's worth, like a dollop of whipped cream on top of a dessert. For butter, it would be somewhere between one and two TBS, soft.

This is all instinctual though, not official.

[culinary bear]

As well as my trusty 18/10 stainless steel cup, half, third and quarter cup measures, and my tablespoon, teaspoon, half, quarter and eigth...

I also have a set of three steel measuring spoons, marked 'dash', 'pinch', and 'smidgen'... I'll take a photo when my camera's charged.

[sparrowgrass]

I worked with a woman who called for a "just a whisper" of garlic.

Another friend used a scoshe. (sp)

How much is a dollop?

←

Skosh (pronounced with a long o sound) .is military slang--comes from Japanese sukoshi which means a little bit.

[Smithy]

I worked with a woman who called for a "just a whisper" of garlic.

Another friend used a scoshe. (sp)

How much is a dollop?

←

Skosh (pronounced with a long o sound) .is military slang--comes from Japanese sukoshi which means a little bit.

←

Fascinating! Thanks for that tidbit!

Just last night I was watching Julia Child demonstrate what constitutes a pinch vs. a large pinch. I don't think she gave equivalent measurements, though.

[k43]

I worked with a woman who called for a "just a whisper" of garlic.

Another friend used a scoshe. (sp)

How much is a dollop?

←

Skosh (pronounced with a long o sound) .is military slang--comes from Japanese sukoshi which means a little bit.

←

Fascinating! Thanks for that tidbit!

Just last night I was watching Julia Child demonstrate what constitutes a pinch vs. a large pinch. I don't think she gave equivalent measurements, though.

←

The Sainted Julia said that a "pinch" is the maximum amount you can pick up between your thumb and forefinger. I think of this is nearly a teaspoon, particularly if the call is for a "good pinch."

I think of a "small pinch" as 1/4 teaspoon or a bit less.

[jsolomon]

Skosh (pronounced with a long o sound) .is military slang--comes from Japanese sukoshi  which means a little bit.

←

I always thought it was spelled scoche.

But, yes, imagine my surprise when I came across that vocab in my first Japanese class!

[Eden]

Skosh (pronounced with a long o sound) .is military slang--comes from Japanese sukoshi  which means a little bit.

←

Cool to know. I think my mom uses "a scosche".

we use gobbet to indicate the size you should cut meat into for stew like dishes. and of course adding a glug of cream to a dish never hurt anything