# Are Our American Culinary Measuring Spoons Really Not Metric? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983 "2023-10-24T01:06:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/121 "2023-10-28T14:59:10Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I have this set just for the amusement factor. I’ve never actually used them. I use mine all the time for single meal dishes. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/122 "2023-10-28T15:01:16Z")
> [@Dogginit](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > I have this set just for the amusement factor. I’ve never actually used them. > > I use mine all the time for single meal dishes. - I tried to eyeball the measurements once. Stung like a mofo. ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/123 "2023-10-28T15:14:20Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I tried to eyeball the measurements once. Stung like a mofo. Have done that after handling peppers, eyeballs weren’t the worst place 😆 ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/124 "2023-10-28T17:07:57Z")
> [@Dogginit](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > I have this set just for the amusement factor. I’ve never actually used them. > > I use mine all the time for single meal dishes. I have a set like that. It came free when i bought a lot of saffron and vanilla. I haven’t actually thrown it away, but I’ve never used it. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/125 "2023-10-28T18:39:11Z")
> [@phs3](#): > > Huh. I buy the quart jars at Costco. Never had 'em go bad, nor do I refrigerate them What do you use capers in to use so much? I’m not a big fan, so I can’t even imagine. ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/126 "2023-10-28T18:55:13Z")
Salad dressings, picatas, other sauces… Are you rinsing them with cold water first? They are an acquired taste. ETA: And we use a LOT in a batch of picata. Like 3-4TBS (45-60ml, since we’re theoretically discussing metric vs. Imperial!) ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/127 "2023-10-29T17:55:49Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > If i don’t have large eggs (the size most recipes expect) i have juggled to get about the same volume of medium or jumbo eggs. But i mostly buy large eggs so i don’t have to. Damn, you must be good. If I tried that, I’d surely drop one and make a huge mess, even if I was onlly juggling three eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983/128 "2023-10-30T11:29:58Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Both of the spoon sets I currently own (one plastic, one metal) have both metric and US measurements on them. My tablespoon says 1 Tbsp/15mL. My half teaspoon says 1/2 tsp/2.5mL on it. Ah, I see! Thanks for the info. It sounds like you have a good feel for the basic metrics you use in your life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-our-american-culinary-measuring-spoons-really-not-metric/991983.md?page=6)