Search seems to show this precise question hasn’t been asked before, probably because of utter triviality, but:
Are sets of culinary measuring spoons marked with United States customary units (half teaspoon, teaspoon, tablespoon) identical to metric spoon sets, sold in the rest of the world, except for labeling (2.5 ml, 5 ml, 15 ml)? Or do manufacturers actually have a different factory production line making smaller American spoons – as they should because one teaspoon equals, per Wikipedia, 4.92892159375 milliliters?
It’s easy. Dip 1/4 tsp spoon into substance. Level, either with a straight edge (if a powder) or by holding level (if a liquid).
Back to OP question: the many “metric” recipes I’ve seen (usually European websites) seem to prefer measuring ingredients by weight, not by volume, so “metric measuring spoons” would seem to be less important than a good (and accurate) kitchen scale.
In your example, with a teaspoon dual-labeled as “1 tsp / 5 ml,” the cost of materials (in this case, stainless steel), will, I think, be about 1.4 percent less if they are trying to be accurate on the teaspoon side rather than in milliliters.
Could it be that even purely metric-labeled spoons are typically targeted for U.S. units so they can save the 1.4 percent, in metal or plastic cost, worldwide?
I personally would hesitate to do that, if I was the manufacturer, because my employees would know I chisled, and might feel justified to chisel me. But then, I’m no manufacturer.
Totally agree. For all I know, they swell by the 1.4 percent metric/American unit difference in a hot kitchen. But the manufacturer, one hopes, tries to be as accurate as is practical.
When I am cooking to a recipe, and see “teaspoon” as a measure, I take that as being approximate and use a teaspoon from the cutlery drawer. If it says 5 grams, I reach for the measuring spoons.
Recipes are not (generally) science projects and there are many variables that the author has no control over. The accuracy of your oven, the temperature in your kitchen and your own level of skill.
And, yes, my European recipes list ingredients by weight, not volume.
But generally not for teaspoon and smaller measurements, or pinches, because kitchen scales don’t seem to be precise enough for weights under a gram, and that can be a big difference in some recipes.
German recipes that use spoons as a measure use Teelöffel (teaspoons), and Esslöffel (table spoons). With granular substances such as sugar often the recipe specifies gestrichen (leveled, i.e. quantity above the spoon’s edge taken off) or gehäuft (heaped, i.e. as much as will stay on the spoon). When not specified usually gehäuft is implied.
German cooks do not use specific measuring spoons but any teaspoon or tablespoon from the cutlery drawer that comes to hand. It is understood that quantities specified in spoonfuls are very imprecise and only given as guidance; with historic recipes it needs to be taken into account that modern spoons are shallower. When precision is needed (e.g. in baking) volume (for fluids) or mass (for other ingrediants) are specified.
Other intentionally vague German culinary units are Prise (pinch) and Messerspitze (knife tip)
I have three different sets of flatware and all three have teaspoons and tablespoons that differ vastly in size. I would never use one of them to measure salt, baking soda, etc. for a baking recipe.
I spend a good amount of time in the kitchen, as does my gf. I pretty much never use a measuring spoon, while my gf ends up with a sink full of used measuring spoons. Both of our meals come out tasting delicious.
I wouldn’t for baking either - but if I’m cooking ( as opposed to baking) the measurements don’t need to be as precise. If the “teaspoon” of oregano I use in the salad dressing is slightly more or less, it doesn’t really matter.