Have you ever not
iced that some of those old family recipes never taste as good as you remember from your childhood? Those early cooks didn’t waste a thing, as anyone who inherited a recipe for giblet pie will attest. I also have a recipe that calls for one quart of nice buttermilk. As soon as I find buttermilk that meets that criteria, I’ll try it.
I especially like the old-time recipes for sourdough biscuits. Here’s a recipe from The Oregon Trail Cookbook:
“Mix one-half cup sourdough starter with one cup milk. Cover and set it in the wagon near the baby to keep warm … pinch off pieces of dough the size of the baby’s hand.”
Early cooks didn’t have the accurate measuring devices we have today and had to make do with what was handy—even if it was the baby.
If you’re in the mood to drag out an old family recipe this Thanksgiving, here are some weights and measures used by pioneer cooks that might help:
Tumblerful=Two Cups
Wineglass=1/4 Cup
Pound of eggs=8 to 9 large eggs, 10-12 smaller ones
Butter the size of an egg=1/4 cup
Butter the size of a walnut=2 Tablespoons
Dash=1/8 teaspoon
Pinch=1/8 teaspoon
Dram=3/4 teaspoon
Scruple= (an apothecary weight=1/4 teaspoon
Gill=1/2 Cup
Old-time tablespoon=4 modern teaspoons
Old-time teaspoons=1/4 modern teaspoon
2 Coffee Cups=1 pint
As for the size of the baby, you’re on your own.
Weights from Christmas in the Old West by Sam Travers
Chuck wagon or trail recipes call for a different type of measurement
Li’l bitty-1/4 tsp
Passle-1/2 tsp
Pittance-1/3 tsp
Dib-1/3 tsp
Crumble-1/8 tsp
A Wave at It-1/16 tsp
Heap-Rounded cupful
Whole Heap-2 Rounded cupfuls
Bunch-6 items
However you measure it,
here’s hoping that your Thanksgiving is a “whole heap” of fun!
For Your Christmas Reading Pleasure
Great post. Made me smile. I do not have any recipes that use those measurements.
Thank you, Debra. Love making people smile. Have a great day!
I loved this blog, Happy Thanksgiving Margaret!!!
You are absolutely right, todays measurements just don’t add up to the old recipes and for sure the end results don’t taste the same. So now I’m going to go drink a “pint” of coffee and start my day, you have an awesome day with your family.
Hi Tonya, I’m enjoying a “pint,” also. LOL
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
I love the post, Margaret! Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Melanie!
I have enough trouble cooking as it is. I don’t need those kinds of confusing measurements. Have a good Thanksgiving!
I know what you mean, Janine. Have a great Thanksgiving.
lol lol great post. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates.
Carol Luciano
Thank you, Carol!
What a fun post. Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
(BTW, I’m a tea drinker with milk in it Scottish style and I’m having some now!)
Hi Eliza, do you put your milk in first? That’s what I do.
I loved reading this post and I imagined just how much the Senior Citizens group would enjoy hearing this. I used to go and share a library program with them when I was still at the library.
Thank you & Blessings!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Connie, some seniors might even know some of these measurements. My husband’s aunt used a dash or pinch for everything she cooked.
Happy Thanksgiving, Margaret. Loved this post. I have a recipe that calls for 1/3 teaspoon but I’ve never found a measuring spoon that size. I just wing it-it’s not quite a 1/2 teaspoon. Close enough. LOL
Hi Rosie, you might be surprised to know that Amazon sells measuring spoons that include a 1/3 teaspoon. Crazy, eh?
http://www.amazon.com/Measuring-Mikey-Store-Ingredients-Removable/dp/B01J5G0MJS/ref=br_lf_m_q5vx3ybttkg43po_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=kitchen
I appreciate you providing these measurements. I have several recipes from my grandmother that do use these old type measurements. I have tried a couple of them and they never turn out quite right. I’ll have to dig them out and try again using these substitution. I remember one had called for lard the size of an egg. I like the chuck wagon measures. Creative names. I would think a wave at it would equate to a pinch in todays recipes.
Hi Patricia, glad to help. I think a wave would be a pinch. I grew up with the word smidgen, which you don’t hear anymore. In case you’re wondering, there are two smidgens in a pinch. Fun, uh?
Margaret, thank you for the fun post. I have no cooking skills.
Hi Caryl, Lucky you! I bet you get to bring the paper cups to all the pot lucks. LOL
This was a fun post. I remember when I was little my grandma had sugar cookies waiting for us whenever we came. When I got older I asked for the recipe. My aunt had her write it down. There were some measurements for the butter, sugar and eggs. But then it said “one blue teaspoon baking powder” and “flour to make a rather stiff dough”. Lol. What does that look like?
Hi Susan, that’s funny.
I once made the mistake of asking my chef son-in-law for his poached salmon recipe. He gave me the one he used in the restaurant which included four bottles of wine!