# Metric recipes use mass not volume? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 14, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330 "2011-02-14T18:07:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/21 "2011-02-14T22:13:23Z")
Here in Ireland, recipes specify dry ingredients by mass, not volume, so we measure them with scales, not cups. This is true regardless of whether imperial units or metric units are used (in fact, most recipes use both, and most scales are graduated in both grams and ounces/pounds). When you are used to using one system (in our case, mass units), it is hard to make use of a recipe that does it the other way. I have some American measuring spoons and cups, but even still I am at a loss if a recipe demands “half a cup of butter”. Most people probably think the way they are used to is better. It seems to me that volume measurements are more convenient but less precise, and that’s a reasonable trade-off. I am surprised, by the way, to learn that Swedish recipes use volume measures. I always thought Europeans used mass and Americans use volume. It seems the reality is more complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/22 "2011-02-14T22:20:39Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > Let me help: a tablespoon is near enough an ounce (which is just a shadow under 30 grams) of most things. Normal dry ingredients, that is, like flour, sugar or oats. Not molten lead or anything like that. Nitpick - isn’t it more like half an ounce? 15ml, so 15g of water. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/23 "2011-02-14T22:46:54Z")
In America, butter is sold in sticks of uniform size (IIRC, a stick of butter is half a cup), and a fraction of a stick (or a whole stick, or some number of sticks) is the easiest way to measure it. If you have a recipe that calls for half a stick of butter, you just get out the box of butter, take one individually-wrapped stick out of it, cut it in half, and put the other half back in the fridge for the next recipe, no measuring device of any sort needed. But of course, while being perfectly convenient for anyone who lives where the American standard butter stick is sold, that would be completely useless for anyone where that standard is not used. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/24 "2011-02-14T23:01:52Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Nitpick - isn’t it more like half an ounce? 15ml, so 15g of water. I dunno - maybe my tablespoons (and every other I’ve used) are an unusual size. I get compliments on my baking and pastry, so it can’t be going too wrong! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/25 "2011-02-14T23:16:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In America, butter is sold in sticks of uniform size (IIRC, a stick of butter is half a cup), and a fraction of a stick (or a whole stick, or some number of sticks) is the easiest way to measure it. If you have a recipe that calls for half a stick of butter, you just get out the box of butter, take one individually-wrapped stick out of it, cut it in half, and put the other half back in the fridge for the next recipe, no measuring device of any sort needed. But of course, while being perfectly convenient for anyone who lives where the American standard butter stick is sold, that would be completely useless for anyone where that standard is not used. Exactly - unlike a lot of the usual metric vs everything else issues, this is just a matter of convention. In the UK, butter comes in 250g bricks. Often the wrapper will have marks approximately delineating where to cut it into 50g portions, but it’s just as easy to weigh it, if you’ve already got the scales out to weigh everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/26 "2011-02-14T23:24:19Z")
[1 tablespoon = 1/2 ounce](http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=1+tablespoon+in+ounces&cp=15&pf=p&sclient=psy&c2coff=1&aq=0&aqi=&aql=&oq=1+tablespoon+in+ou&pbx=1&fp=8d0ed00102c914af) ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/27 "2011-02-14T23:27:09Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Nitpick - isn’t it more like half an ounce? 15ml, so 15g of water. Yes, a tablespoon is about 15 grams. An ounce, or an eighth of a cup (if it helps you to think of it that way), is approximately 2 tablespoons. > [@Teacake](#): > > I dunno - maybe my tablespoons (and every other I’ve used) are an unusual size. I get compliments on my baking and pastry, so it can’t be going too wrong! If you are using it for dry ingredients, maybe you meant a heaping tablespoon is approximately an ounce? Or you weren’t referring to an actual measuring spoon? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/28 "2011-02-14T23:31:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In America, butter is sold in sticks of uniform size (IIRC, a stick of butter is half a cup), and a fraction of a stick (or a whole stick, or some number of sticks) is the easiest way to measure it. If you have a recipe that calls for half a stick of butter, you just get out the box of butter, take one individually-wrapped stick out of it, cut it in half, and put the other half back in the fridge for the next recipe, no measuring device of any sort needed. But of course, while being perfectly convenient for anyone who lives where the American standard butter stick is sold, that would be completely useless for anyone where that standard is not used. And in Australia butter comes in a stick of say 500g. So you want 250g, cut it in 1/2 or 0.5 for metrics. A bag of flour is 2kg, so recipe says 1kg easy peasey. But most home recipes use volume, it is in baking etc that mass becomes important. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/29 "2011-02-15T01:23:55Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > This makes no sense. If you are using sugar, salt, flower, etc, these all have different densities so they cannot be measured using a set volume, such as a cup. Does every kitchen have to have a scale? How does this work? This sounds difficult and time consuming. I don’t know about other countries, but in France, you would typically use a kind of large plastic or glass cup with many graduations around it (one for sugar, one for flour, one for milk, etc…). So, if the recipe calls for 500 ml of milk, you would fill the cup up to the “500 ml” mark under “milk” and use that. Alyternatively, you could, indeed, use a scale. For small quantities, recipes woulkd often mention a “coffeespoon” or two “soupspoon” (that’s how we call small and large spoons respectively) of, say, oil. Or a “pinch” of salt. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/30 "2011-02-15T01:26:48Z")
I prefer recipes that use “weight”. You put a bowl on the scale and zero it out. Add 50g or flour and zero it our, add 25g of sugar, and zero it out. I can’t imagine anything easier. I grew up using tsp and cups and such, but they are not easier. Beyond that, what is 2 cups of basil supposed to mean? Cram it in? Pack it in? Loose? Salt is another pain in the ass. A tsp of kosher salt weighs about half as much as a tsp of Morton’s table salt; enough to make a difference. And while I’m at it, the number of people who do not know the difference between fluid oz and oz of weight is staggering. I get things like “How any tsps in a gram?” all the time. Well it depends on what you are measuring. I had someone ask once about how to compensate for having ground ingredient X rather than whole. Great question; I go to look at the package. Luckily, a 1/2 cup of both weigh the same. I tell her that and she says “but I’m not using a 1/2 cup I need a tsp”. OK, “well a tsp of both weighs the same”. Nope, she’s not having it; “I’m not weighing it, I’m using tsps”. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/31 "2011-02-15T01:31:52Z")
Yes we all have sets of sclaes in our kitchens! Also some people do use balance scales. They’re not that difficult to use and I think a lot of people prefer them to electronic scales or spring scales. When I was young we had a spring scale in our kitchen, howeve my mum replaced that with a set of balance scales which she still uses. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/32 "2011-02-15T01:35:21Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > I dunno - maybe my tablespoons (and every other I’ve used) are an unusual size. I get compliments on my baking and pastry, so it can’t be going too wrong! The UK and US are very different. First, pints are 20oz vs 16 and teaspoons are 50% bigger than the US. Aren’t tablespoons called dessert spoons as well? And don’t get me started on gas marks. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/33 "2011-02-15T02:35:41Z")
I see someone mentioned having multiple measuring cups for different substances? Talk about complicated. It seems to me that measurements that stay in the single digits would be easier. Say, I have to increase my recipe half again over (in other words increase by 50%). If I am using measurements of 1/3, 1/2, 1/4, 1, 2, then this is pretty easy. If I am using 325 grams, well, divide by two, throw away the fraction, add the 3 digit numbers…good heavens, I’m going to need a calculator. > [@hibernicus](#): > > Most people probably think the way they are used to is better. This is probably true. Just when I start to think that people are mostly the same all over the world, I learn that bunch of y’all are WEIRD. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/34 "2011-02-15T02:54:00Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > Aren’t tablespoons called dessert spoons as well? And don’t get me started on gas marks. No - tablespoons are called tablespoons. And dessert spoons are called dessert spoons. Dessert spoons are not used as units of measurement, as far as I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/35 "2011-02-15T05:17:46Z")
dup ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/36 "2011-02-15T05:32:46Z")
> [@villa](#): > > No - tablespoons are called tablespoons. And dessert spoons are called dessert spoons. Dessert spoons are not used as units of measurement, as far as I have ever seen. Are you in the UK? Dessertspoon is often used in older English cookbooks as a measurement. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/37 "2011-02-15T05:38:37Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I see someone mentioned having multiple measuring cups for different substances? Talk about complicated. That would be as dumb as having different measuring cups for liquid and dry ingredients. Who would do that? > [@](#): > > It seems to me that measurements that stay in the single digits would be easier. Say, I have to increase my recipe half again over (in other words increase by 50%). If I am using measurements of 1/3, 1/2, 1/4, 1, 2, then this is pretty easy. If I am using 325 grams, well, divide by two, throw away the fraction, add the 3 digit numbers…good heavens, I’m going to need a calculator. Well if you pick something that is easy to increase in one system, and something that is not easy in another system, guess what happens? How about doing it with 3/16 of a cup vs 100 grams? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/38 "2011-02-15T07:04:54Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > That would be as dumb as having different measuring cups for liquid and dry ingredients. Who would do that? Not too long ago I saw a blast from the past - a [Tala](http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Tala+Retro+Cooks+Measure/129161094,default,pd.html?cm_mmc=Googlebase-_-Home-_-Kitchen-_-Tala_Retro_Cooks_Measure) measuring cup (a cone, actually) with a number of different scales on it, allowing the user to volume-measure a desired mass of rice, ground almonds, or any of a dozen other ingredients. Well done anyone who uses a balance btw - the rest of us have to put up with local variations in gravity. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/39 "2011-02-15T07:16:13Z")
In the US, we have [dry measuring cups](http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Dictionary/D/Dry-measuring-cups-4885.aspx) and [liquid measuring cups](http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Dictionary/L/Liquid-measuring-cups-4836.aspx). We also have [measuring spoons](http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Dictionary/M/Measuring-spoons-4886.aspx). That being said, I have those, and I also have scales. But then again I am pretty unusual for an american cook. We very rarely use a regular eating/drinking cup/spoon for measuring, although I will confess that I used to make bread by taking 4 [flintstone](http://images.replacements.com/images/images5/china/C/mcdonalds_flintstones_mug_no_box_P0000332061S0001T2.jpg) cups of flour, 1 flintstone cup of milk, 1 palm [tablespoon] of sugar, half a palm of yeast and a large pinch of salt. Oh, and I timed it to a particular recording of Vivaldi’s The Seasons. But then again, I have been making bread by hand for about 40 of my almost 50 years so it is pretty much automatic now. I did send my Romanian friend a full set of the measures and the recipe for pancakes to go along with the jug of maple syrup =) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330/40 "2011-02-15T07:53:11Z")
> [@](#): > > I did send my Romanian friend a full set of the measures Including one of your palms? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metric-recipes-use-mass-not-volume/571330.md?page=3)