MEASURING tips and techniques (including "scant" )

Nancree said:

"Scant - A scant measurement indicates that you should use slightly

less than

Quoted message said:

the actual measure."

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL? Their
food has to be some of the worst on the market.

I have never measured anything while cooking - learned to cook by eye
(at about age 11) and have done so ever since. I do sometimes measure
when baking, if it isn't something I make often. I don't bake a lot,
though.

-L.

-L. said:

Nancree said:

"Scant - A scant measurement indicates that you should use slightly

less than

Quoted message said:

the actual measure."

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL? Their
food has to be some of the worst on the market.

I have never measured anything while cooking - learned to cook by eye
(at about age 11) and have done so ever since. I do sometimes measure
when baking, if it isn't something I make often. I don't bake a lot,
though.

-L.

Well la de da for you. It does provide a definition for "scant,"
something I did not see you put up. Or did I miss your post?

jim

Nancree said:

"Scant - A scant measurement indicates that you should use slightly
less than the actual measure."

http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=7&hlite=
true&id=584&querytext=Measuring

Nancree

Yep, a scant cup means slightly less than 8 oz. My grandmothers didn't
measure things exactly and, in fact, often said "fill your palm" for a
measure of salt or baking soda. Grandma Mac's recipes often called for
"butter the size of a walnut" which basically meant about 2 Tbs. butter.
Gotta learn to translate 🙂

Jill

"-L." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nancree said:

"Scant - A scant measurement indicates that you should use slightly

less than

Quoted message said:

the actual measure."

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL? Their
food has to be some of the worst on the market.

I have never measured anything while cooking - learned to cook by eye
(at about age 11) and have done so ever since. I do sometimes measure
when baking, if it isn't something I make often. I don't bake a lot,
though.

-L.

You *do* measure - with your eye! Sometimes the best way.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

JimLane said:

Well la de da for you. It does provide a definition for "scant,"
something I did not see you put up. Or did I miss your post?

jim

Do you really need a definition for "scant"? Isn't is
self-explanatory?

-L.

jmcquown said:

Yep, a scant cup means slightly less than 8 oz. My grandmothers

didn't

Quoted message said:

measure things exactly and, in fact, often said "fill your palm" for

a

Quoted message said:

measure of salt or baking soda. Grandma Mac's recipes often called

for

Quoted message said:

"butter the size of a walnut" which basically meant about 2 Tbs.

butter.

Quoted message said:

Gotta learn to translate 🙂

I recall reading in The Joy of Cooking that they conciously got rid of
all the "scant" and "heaping" type measurement directions in favor of
precise ones. That sometimes led to rather odd ones like, "one cup
flour minus one tablespoon" and such.

Brian

Default User said:

jmcquown said:

Yep, a scant cup means slightly less than 8 oz. My grandmothers
didn't measure things exactly and, in fact, often said "fill your
palm" for a measure of salt or baking soda. Grandma Mac's recipes
often called for "butter the size of a walnut" which basically meant
about 2 Tbs. butter. Gotta learn to translate 🙂

I recall reading in The Joy of Cooking that they conciously got rid of
all the "scant" and "heaping" type measurement directions in favor of
precise ones. That sometimes led to rather odd ones like, "one cup
flour minus one tablespoon" and such.

Brian

That's kind of silly, but I've seen those measurement reductions myself.
I'm pretty sure my grandmothers didn't have any cookbooks - at least, I
never saw one in either of their homes. I rarely measure anything unless
I'm making rice or bread.

Jill

-L. said:

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL? Their
food has to be some of the worst on the market.

How little you know. Hormel ain't just Spam, not that Spam is an awful
product, I happen to enjoy it occasionaly and it's the national food of
Hawaii. But if were to go to hormel.com and click on Products you'd
see a wide variety, many of which are represntitive of the best in the
world, to wit Hormel Di Lusso Genoa Salami (no other even comes close)
and Hormel La Rosa Pepperoni is nonpareil.

Btw, "scant" defines your IQ.

scant
a : barely or scarcely sufficient; especially : not quite coming up to
a stated measure b : lacking in amplitude or quantity
---

Sheldon

-L. said:

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL? Their
food has to be some of the worst on the market.

How little you know. Hormael ain't jsut Spam, not that's it's awful, I
happen to like it occasionally and it's the national food of Hawaii.
If one goes to the Hormel.com web site adn click on products they'd see
a wide array, many of which set a standard for the best in the world,
to wit: Di Lusso Genoa Salami, La Rosa pepperoni, etal.

Btw, "scant" defines your [culinary] IQ.

scant
a : barely or scarcely sufficient; especially : not quite coming up to
a stated measure b : lacking in amplitude or quantity
---

Sheldon

jmcquown said:

[snip] I rarely measure anything unless
I'm making rice or bread.

Jill

To simplify measuring for rice, you can keep your rice in a canister
and use a plastic measure as the scoop (mine's ½ Cup, which I will
fill 3 or 4 times.) That takes care of the rice part. Then the next
time you've measured in the water, put your finger down in the water to
touch the top of the rice. Note the height of the water: for example,
in the pot I always use for the quantity I usually make, the water
rises to just above the first knuckle. That's all you need from then
on. Saves getting out a measuring cup each time.

As to other measurements, recipes are just a guide aren't they? If I
know my baking powder or my dried herbs are a little old, I'll use a
little more. If the wine is particularly flavorful I'll use a little
more (in both the pot and the glass), and if the coffee roast is really
dark I'll use a little less.

-aem

jmcquown wrote:
<SNIP>
Grandma Mac's recipes often called for

Quoted message said:

"butter the size of a walnut" which basically meant about 2 Tbs.

butter.

Quoted message said:

Gotta learn to translate 🙂

Jill

My gramma's recipes called for the same amount of butter. But my
favorite was one of her cookie recipes which called for "6 to 8 gurgles
of molasses"!

Scrooge

Sheldon said:

-L. said:

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL? Their
food has to be some of the worst on the market.

How little you know. Hormel ain't just Spam, not that Spam is an awful
product, I happen to enjoy it occasionaly and it's the national food of
Hawaii.

Just bought some...hmmm...Spam sammiches for din - din tonight sounds pretty
good I think...

--
Best
Greg

scrooge said:

jmcquown wrote:
<SNIP>
Grandma Mac's recipes often called for

Quoted message said:

"butter the size of a walnut" which basically meant about 2 Tbs.
butter. Gotta learn to translate 🙂

Jill

My gramma's recipes called for the same amount of butter. But my
favorite was one of her cookie recipes which called for "6 to 8
gurgles of molasses"!

Scrooge

ROFL! Well, yeah, it does "gurgle" when you pour it 😉

Jill

On Tue, 1 Feb 2005 17:06:33 -0600, "jmcquown" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

scrooge said:

My gramma's recipes called for the same amount of butter. But my
favorite was one of her cookie recipes which called for "6 to 8
gurgles of molasses"!

Scrooge

ROFL! Well, yeah, it does "gurgle" when you pour it 😉

My mom used "glugs."

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

Sheldon said:

-L. said:

Well, duh! Does anyone really want cooking tips from HORMEL?

Their

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

food has to be some of the worst on the market.

How little you know. Hormel ain't just Spam, not that Spam is an

awful

Quoted message said:

product, I happen to enjoy it occasionaly

Why could one "enjoy" an "awful" product?

and it's the national food of

Quoted message said:

Hawaii. But if were to go to hormel.com and click on Products you'd
see a wide variety, many of which are represntitive of the best in

the

Quoted message said:

world, to wit Hormel Di Lusso Genoa Salami (no other even comes

close)

Quoted message said:

and Hormel La Rosa Pepperoni is nonpareil.

We don't eat that stuff. Heart attack in a stick. Not to mention
Hormel's OSHA and Union violations.

Quoted message said:

Btw, "scant" defines your IQ.

As always, you're so nice, Sheldon.

-L.

-L. said:

JimLane said:

Well la de da for you. It does provide a definition for
"scant," something I did not see you put up. Or did I
miss your post?

jim

Do you really need a definition for "scant"? Isn't is
self-explanatory?

-L.

Ummm?
There was a discussion in another thread with people asking what the
definition was. No one actually knew, and several people asked.

Maybe that's why Jim asked if he missed your post?

Maybe you were practicing your measuring techniques and missed the thread?

BOB