SC - International measurements

[Decker, Terry D.]

Since I've finished racking up about 2 cords of pecan and cleared my
backyard of debris, I get to come play.

The US gallon is based on the wine gallon, contains 231 cu. in. and weighs
8.33 lbs at 62 degrees F at sea level.  A cup is 1/16 of a gallon and
therefore weighs approx. 8.32 oz. under ideal conditions.  For practical
purposes, the gallon is rounded off to 8 lbs and contains 128 oz.

The Imperial gallon is 10 lbs of water at sea level and 62 degrees F.  The
volume is 277.42 cu. in.  The Imperial gallon contains 160 oz.

So an Imperial cup contains 2 fl. oz. more than the equivalent US measure.
This difference alters the ratios between cup measures of liquid and dry
ingredients and brings untold grief when using one set of measures to
prepare a recipe which uses a different set of measures.

As an interesting aside, I've been comparing a Twentieth Century American
Dictionary from about 1936 with my 1995 quickref.  The dictionary specifies:

1 Tbsp = approximately 4 drams = 2 dessert spoonfuls = 4 teaspoons

The quick ref says:

1 Tbsp = 3 tsp = 1/2 fl. oz.

The current US standard appears to match the quick ref.  I haven't found an
Imperial measure conversion that handles tablespoons and teaspoons, but I'm
almost willing to bet that it will match the dictionary, as the US appears
to use 16 fluid drams to the fluid oz. while the Imperial system appears to
use 8 fl. drams to the fl. oz.

Now, having confused the issue thoroughly shall I add the problems with
Winchester (US) and London (Imperial) bushels.

Bear

> I don't have my charts here at work but the only onles I can remember
> off the top of my head are:
> 
> 4 teas = 1 Tbsp = 20ml
> 1 cup = 250ml
> 
> I'll bring a chart in tomorrow morning (unless Sianan or one of the
> others posts one in the meantime).
> 
> When Hess redacted Matha Washington's cookbook she often used cups as a
> measurement.  I tell you, my biscuits were turning out "not quite right"
> until I realized that your cups are smaller than ours.
> 
> Meliora.
> 
> > HICKS_M at casa.gov.au writes:
> > 
> > > 
> > >  Once again I think this is the US vs. UK thing.
> > >  
> > >  In Australia (where Kiriel is) 1 Tbsp = 4 teas = 20ml.
> > >  
> > >  This I believe is the same as the UK but different from the US.
> > >  
> > 
> > I don't know, but here is a chart for US measure:
> > 3teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon = 1/2 liquid oz. = approximately 15 ml.
> > 4 Tablespoons = 1/4 cup = 2 liquid oz 
> > 1 cup = approximately 240 ml.
> > 4 cups = 1 quart = 32 liquid oz.
> > 4 quarts = 1 gallon = 128 liquid oz.
> > 
> > I have known most of my life that an imperial gallon was larger than a
> > US
> > gallon, but this is the first I have heard about the teaspoons and
> > Tablespoons.
> > 
> > Mordonna
> 
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