Sharing Recipes

[Cerise]

Wasn't sure where to post this.

It's great to see a cooking site w/ members from all over the world, so we can share our dishes & ideas. The problem, for me, is the measurements & some of the slang. If possible, when sharing a recipe, can you post in U.S. measurements as well? Re slang - we all like to have fun with one another & be playful, at times; but when all members don't understand what is being said, it leaves some members feeling a disconnect (as well as stating military time, & "Hellos" in a different language). Thanks for your understanding.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Wasn't sure where to post this.

It's great to see a cooking site w/ members from all over the world, so we can share our dishes & ideas. The problem, for me, is the measurements & some of the slang. If possible, when sharing a recipe, can you post in U.S. measurements as well? Re slang - we all like to have fun with one another & be playful, at times; but when all members don't understand what is being said, it leaves some members feeling a disconnect (as well as stating military time, & "Hellos" in a different language). Thanks for your understanding.

Ok, so for a perfect pie crust, start with about 3 cups AP flour, and about 1.5 tsp salt. Add a blob of lard to the crust and cut it in. If it doesn't form perfect pea-gravel texture, add another, smaller blob, and cut it in. Repeat until you get the right texture. Add a smidgen of ice cold water and gently stir the dough together until the gravel forms a complete mass of dough, but don't overmix so as to blend the little nuggets into a homogenous dough.

Divide the dough into two equal blobs and place onto your work surface. Roll from the center outward to form the crust, after dusting the work surface and top of the dough ball with flour. Cut the rolled ough into a perfect circle and fold in half, twice. Place into your pie pan and unfold. Fill the first crust, or blind bake if required. Roll out the second crust. Fold like the first and place on top of the pie. Cut vents after fluting the edges.

There, is that accurate enough measurements?

Just kidding. I understand your request for accurate measurements, and common, or at least translated terms. In fairness to others not from the U.S. though, it is just as easy for us to look up a conversion when we receive a recipe, as it is for them to look up and make the conversion to what we are used to. Conversely, are we expected to convert our standard English volume measurements to weight measurements, or from English to metric so that those who cook by weight, or who use metric standards can understand the recipes that we post?

maybe it would be a good idea if we have a post with a link to a measurement conversion chart or calculator site.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[MrsLMB]

A link to a conversion chart would be more than helpful - hint hint

 

[Hoot]

I have found this site of use in making all manner of conversions:
Online Conversions

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

About measurements, I think it's a little US-centric to ask metric chefs to post US units unless US members also post metric unit equivalents. I'd rather not do that. I think most metric chefs are used to translating US into metric, and at least some of us US chefs have learned to translate metric into US. I've memorized the most popular conversions (a Kg is 2.2 lb., a cup is 250 ml or a quarter liter, etc.)

As far as slang, I've seen a bit of UK kidding around I didn't fully understand but I haven't seen any recipes that were obscured by incomprehensible slang. Could you give some examples of slang terms that you didn't understand?


You can use Google to easily convert units:

Search Features

Scroll down to the heading "Unit Conversion." You just type whatever you need in your search box. The description tells how to word it. Example: "1 kg in pounds." Hit "search" and Google does the job.

 

[Gravy Queen]

About measurements, I think it's a little US-centric to ask metric chefs to post US units unless US members also post metric unit equivalents. I'd rather not do that. I think most metric chefs are used to translating US into metric, and at least some of us US chefs have learned to translate metric into US. I've memorized the most popular conversions (a Kg is 2.2 lb., a cup is 250 ml or a quarter liter, etc.)

As far as slang, I've seen a bit of UK kidding around I didn't fully understand but I haven't seen any recipes that were obscured by incomprehensible slang. Could you give some examples of slang terms that you didn't understand?


You can use Google to easily convert units:

Search Features

Scroll down to the heading "Unit Conversion." You just type whatever you need in your search box. The description tells how to word it. Example: "1 kg in pounds." Hit "search" and Google does the job.

I agree, when I dont understand measurements I just find myself a conversion chart.

I am also not aware of slang used in recipes - would need examples to understand what is meant by this please, so it can be avoided.

 

[MrsLMB]

I have found this site of use in making all manner of conversions:
Online Conversions

Nice share .. tyvm !!

 

[Cerise]

Wasn't sure where to post this.

It's great to see a cooking site w/ members from all over the world, so we can share our dishes & ideas. The problem, for me, is the measurements & some of the slang. If possible, when sharing a recipe, can you post in U.S. measurements as well? Re slang - we all like to have fun with one another & be playful, at times; but when all members don't understand what is being said, it leaves some members feeling a disconnect (as well as stating military time, & "Hellos" in a different language). Thanks for your understanding.

I asked "If possible... can you post in U.S. measurements as well." It was a request to the poster of a recipe. One can make a point, w/o being a smart alec. I wasn't asking for exact or precise measurements either.

Slang had nothing to do w/ wording in a recipe. Please reread. Thank you.

 

[CWS4322]

A link to a conversion chart would be more than helpful - hint hint

I use this one all the time for my work.

Online Conversion - Convert just about anything to anything else

The cooking conversions is mid-way down on the page.

 

[CWS4322]

I personally don't measure unless I'm baking. I am more of a "by guess and by golly" type. I give guesstimates when I post a recipe unless I've made a conscious effort to measure everything...

 

[Dawgluver]

Me too. And I try not to bake.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I personally don't measure unless I'm baking. I am more of a "by guess and by golly" type. I give guesstimates when I post a recipe unless I've made a conscious effort to measure everything...

I'll admit to some of that. How much fish sauce to use in my curry? Glug, glug, taste... Decide then if it needs more. I'm sure a "glug" is not an international unit.

I often become very obsessive about amounts, even both weighing and volumetric measure, when developing new recipes. I'm also very obsessive about taking notes, and it's not unusual for me to cook a recipe a couple dozen times with detailed notes for all until I'm happy enough to share the recipe. But after then I go back to the "glug, glug" method. (Except in baking of course.)

 

[Andy M.]

I often share recipes with people who are not foodies. They know and care less about the subject than I do. As a result, I try to be specific and detailed so my recipes are useful.

If you have been following the "Grandmother's Recipes" thread, you see what happens when recipes you write for yourself end up with others and there is difficulty in understanding.

 

[CWS4322]

I'll admit to some of that. How much fish sauce to use in my curry? Glug, glug, taste... Decide then if it needs more. I'm sure a "glug" is not an international unit.

I often become very obsessive about amounts, even both weighing and volumetric measure, when developing new recipes. I'm also very obsessive about taking notes, and it's not unusual for me to cook a recipe a couple dozen times with detailed notes for all until I'm happy enough to share the recipe. But after then I go back to the "glug, glug" method. (Except in baking of course.)

I admit that I weighed the cleaned Swiss Chard for the tart I made on Sunday. I also measured the ingredients for the crust because that falls under baking. Also, I use a lot of recipes as inspiration or will try to find one that is very close to what I've done and post the link to that, adding my take on the recipe in case s/one wants to give it a whirl.

I weighed the chard because I was doubling the recipe to make two tarts and the recipe was for one and I didn't purchase the chard, I picked it, so had no idea how much I really had. I also made sure to measure most of the cheese because I was doubling the recipe--but I admit, I did add more cheddar because I didn't think it was cheesy enough...the bacon was measured because I had 8 slices in the freezer (my trick is to bring home the package of bacon, open it, and roll the bacon slices, stand the rolls up in a tupperware container with a bit of space between, freeze that, and then I can pull out as many or few rolls as I want if I'm too lazy to cook all the bacon and freeze it cooked). But the "glug, glug" taste method works for me, as does the spice/herb in the palm of my hand, taste, add more method.

 

[CWS4322]

I often share recipes with people who are not foodies. They know and care less about the subject than I do. As a result, I try to be specific and detailed so my recipes are useful.

If you have been following the "Grandmother's Recipes" thread, you see what happens when recipes you write for yourself end up with others and there is difficulty in understanding.

Following it...I'm writing it!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I've been recently reading a book about 19th century Russia and recipes they used then. The translator/editor went into great length about how units had changed since then, and many of the original recipes are not directly translatable into 21st century units. The units have changed so much since then that in modern times we are uncertain even in attempting to recreate the recipes, and whether we would be tasting the same recipe they used back then.

For example, mead. IMO there is no way you could reproduce that recipe in modern times because the units of the original book (in Russian) are no longer used. Even the author made little attempt to translate recipes beyond commenting much the same as I have, that the recipes do not translate to modern times. (This is not a cookbook. It's a history book about what cooking was like a few centuries ago.)

 

[CWS4322]

I've been recently reading a book about 19th century Russia and recipes they used then. The translator/editor went into great length about how units had changed since then, and many of the original recipes are not directly translatable into 21st century units. The units have changed so much since then that in modern times we are uncertain even in attempting to recreate the recipes, and whether we would be tasting the same recipe they used back then.

For example, mead. IMO there is no way you could reproduce that recipe in modern times because the units of the original book (in Russian) are no longer used. Even the author made little attempt to translate recipes beyond commenting much the same as I have, that the recipes do not translate to modern times. (This is not a cookbook. It's a history book about what cooking was like a few centuries ago.)

A friend of mine from Greece made the most amazing honey cookies at Easter time...she used shot glasses, demi-tasse cups, etc. to measure. We spent an afternoon making those and converting all the measurements to NA measurements so I could make the cookies...s/thing I have not done. We lost touch...but then, I found her on the Internet, and we are connected on FB and she lives in WA now so she now makes recipes using NA measurements and has since "re-shared" several of the recipes she gave me when we were in grad school together.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I weighed the chard because I was doubling the recipe to make two tarts and the recipe was for one and I didn't purchase the chard, I picked it, so had no idea how much I really had.

In fact that's as good a measure as any, perhaps better than some or all (weight). I've often referred to a "packed" volumetric measure, perhaps of herbs, but who's to say how packed it is? Can this recipe be reproduced by somebody else who packs their herbs differently? (No.)

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

A friend of mine from Greece made the most amazing honey cookies at Easter time...she used shot glasses, demi-tasse cups, etc. to measure. We spent an afternoon making those and converting all the measurements to NA measurements so I could make the cookies...

This makes a good argument for the cooking theory book Ratio. In it the author makes the point that it is not the measurements themselves that are important, but rather are the ratio between the units. The author explores to some degree the relationship between volume units and weight units. It is clear that baking should always use weight units.

 

[CWS4322]

In fact that's as good a measure as any, perhaps better than some or all (weight). I've often referred to a "packed" volumetric measure, perhaps of herbs, but who's to say how packed it is? Can this recipe be reproduced by somebody else who packs their herbs differently? (No.)

The recipe had 750 g as the amount, but didn't say if that was before or after the ribs were removed...an error in the instructions! So, I weighed it after I had removed the ribs. I have reproduced the recipe for a single tart several times, so was confident I could double it, but yes, you're right. It would have helped if the instructions stated if the weight needed was before or after one removed the ribs.