Published Recipe Discrepancies

[GrillingFool]

So what about a "large shallot"?
my large might be your small.

A pinch? A dash, a dollop, a shake.

Personally, I have measured different amounts into my palm,
counted pouring seconds and such, so I am pretty sure that
handful in my palm is or is not a 1/3rd of a cup!

Heck, when RR says "put a little EVOO in the pan", her LITTLE
is my A LOT. She covers the bottom. To me, that's a lot of EVOO.
Which is Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to the non Raybeams out there.


I also think imprecise measurements in recipes are a large
reason why new cooks can't, and why Granny's Delicious never
tastes as good when we make it.

 

[GB]

So what about a "large shallot"?
my large might be your small.

Yes that is true, but the gist of the thing is that in the end it really won't matter. If you use 3 grams more shallot the recipe will still work.

Even if someone told you to us a half cup of shallots, you could still be off be a certain amount (assuming you are measuring by volume, not weight) because depending on how the shallot of chopped it could take up different volumes in the measuring cup.

 

[olehippy]

Am I alone in this, or am I just being too picky?

No I agree wholeheartedly. I am forever complaining to my dh about this sort of thing. When watching FoodNetwork I see it all of the time and have said the same as you.

I know when to make adjustments and rarely follow a recipe as written anyway, but for someone learning how to cook it could be dissappointing.

 

[BreezyCooking]

To be perfectly honest, the "exact" amount might not mean a heck of a lot as far as cheese, onions, etc., etc. In fact, except for items like adding extra nuts, "exact" measurements are probably most necessary in baked goods. There's not much fooling around there.

But again, my point wasn't that a recipe would be ruined by the "handfull vs. 1/3 cup" of cheese, but more that it's not a good message for a TV cook to send unless it's prefaced by the point that the amount doesn't matter. To those of us who have been cooking for a long time & realize the difference it's fine, but it could provide disappointing results to someone new to the joy of cooking. Again - regardless of the size of your hands, unless you're a small child, 1/3 cup does not equal a handful of grated cheese - lol!!!!

 

[GB]

Again - regardless of the size of your hands, unless you're a small child, 1/3 cup does not equal a handful of grated cheese - lol!!!!

Are you calling me a small child ? Here is my post from the first page...

Just for the heck of it I just pulled out a handful of shredded cheeses and measured it. It was a moderate handful. Not as much as I could have grabbed, but not a small handful either. It came to a hair over 1/3 of a cup.

While your thought that it could be disappointing to a novice cook has some merit, the opposite can be said as well and be just as valid. A novice cook could be terribly intimidated by measuring and all these numbers and thing and could be much more comfortable thinking in terms of one handful.