[USMA:24793] Re: Kitchen "multi measure"

[kilopascal]

2003-02-09

 

I've always seen 1 teaspoon as equal to 5 mL and a tablespoon equal to 15 mL.  Thus 6 teaspoons equals 2 tablespoons which equals 30 mL.  A fluid ounce is 29.5 mL.  The 0.5 mL difference between 30 mL and 29.5 mL is most likely not noticeable to the naked eye, especially on a cooking cup.  50 teaspoons equals a cup of 250 mL.

 

As you see below,  there are the old definitions based on FFU, and the modern, practical definition that everyone now uses based on an exact 5 mL for the teaspoon and 15 mL or 20 mL for the tablespoon.

 

teaspoon or teaspoonful (tsp) [1]

a unit of volume used in food recipes. The U.S. teaspoon is equal to 1/3 tablespoon or 1/48 cup; this is equivalent to 1/6 fluid ounce, about 0.30 cubic inches, or approximately 4.9 milliliters. In Britain, a traditional teaspoonful in the kitchen was equal to 1/8 Imperial fluid ounce or approximately 3.55 milliliters, but the medical teaspoonful was usually 5 milliliters. In metric kitchens in Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, a teaspoonful is exactly 5 milliliters.

 

tablespoon or tablespoonful (tbsp, tblsp, or Tsp) [1]

a unit of volume used in food recipes. In the U.S., the tablespoon is equal to 1/2 fluid ounce; this is about 14.8 milliliters. In Britain, traditional tablespoons varied somewhat in size, and various older references give sizes in the range from 1/2 to 5/8 Imperial fluid ounce (14.2-17.6 milliliters). Under the metric system the tablespoon has become more or less standardized at 15 milliliters in Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, 20 milliliters in Australia. The U.S. tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons or 1/16 cup; the traditional British tablespoonful was often equal to 4 teaspoonfuls or 1/10 teacupful. The metric tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons (4 in Australia).

 

John

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Joseph B. Reid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Sent: Sunday, 2003-02-09 20:14

Subject: [USMA:24792] Re: Kitchen "multi measure"

> Jim Elwell wrote in USMA 24791:
>
> >My wife bought a kitchen "multi measure," which is just a shot glass with
> >numerous graduations on the side. I checked its accuracy as best I could
> >with a 100 mL graduated cylinder. The metric scale (mislabeled "ML") was
> >pretty accurate, certainly enough so for cooking purposes.
> >It has three colloquial scales: teaspoons, tablespoons and ounces.
> >Interestingly, the teaspoons and ounces were accurate, and 6 tsp = 1 oz,
> >but the tablespoon scale was significantly offset. It was made in China,
> >so maybe (hopefully!) they don't have a clue that all three could use the
> >scale.
> >Jim Elwell
>
>
>
> The (Canadian) Metric Pratice Guide lists:
>        1 tablespoon (1/2 fluid ounce)        = 14.21 mL
>        1 tablespoon (UK, 5/8 fluid ounce)    = 17,8 mL
>        1 tablespoon (US, 1/2 US fluid ounce) = 14.8 mL
>
> No wonder the Chinese got confused!
> --
>