A teaspoon is a teaspoon is a teaspoon?

Oh pshaw, on Mon 12 Jun 2006 04:10:52a, Mike meant to say...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I understand fully that a teaspoon of something in liquid form is a
teaspoon.

But if in a form that could be LEVEL, ROUNDED, or HEAPING, if not so
indicated, then what is it? I'm referring to recipes that call for a
teaspoon of , say, peanut butter, example .only

Thanks....I think I know the answer...no forethough by the recipe
provder.

It should be leveled off unless otherwise stipulated. Older recipes in
particular may call for a rounded teaspoon or scant teaspoon, etc.

--
Wayne Boatwright @¿@¬
_____________________

"Mike" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I understand fully that a teaspoon of something in liquid form is a
teaspoon.

But if in a form that could be LEVEL, ROUNDED, or HEAPING, if not so
indicated, then what is it? I'm referring to recipes that call for a
teaspoon of , say, peanut butter, example .only

Thanks....I think I know the answer...no forethough by the recipe
provder.

Thanks, Mike

Mike, it should be leveled unless the recipe calls for rounded or heaping.
Don't do like I do and eyeball it 😉

Michael
--
Ever been this tired?
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"Mike" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I understand fully that a teaspoon of something in liquid form is a
teaspoon.

But if in a form that could be LEVEL, ROUNDED, or HEAPING, if not so
indicated, then what is it? I'm referring to recipes that call for a
teaspoon of , say, peanut butter, example .only

Thanks....I think I know the answer...no forethough by the recipe
provder.

Thanks, Mike

Level, But teaspoons have different sizes in different countires, so you
might want to find out what size the author of a recipe means.

Quoted message said:

"Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mike" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I understand fully that a teaspoon of something in liquid form is a
teaspoon.

But if in a form that could be LEVEL, ROUNDED, or HEAPING, if not so
indicated, then what is it? I'm referring to recipes that call for a
teaspoon of , say, peanut butter, example .only

Thanks....I think I know the answer...no forethough by the recipe
provder.

Thanks, Mike

Mike, it should be leveled unless the recipe calls for rounded or heaping.
Don't do like I do and eyeball it 😉

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If you're
just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't bake
worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back. Followed the
recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with hockey pucks.

Michael

--
Ever been this tired?
http://i6.tinypic.com/123tkjo.jpg
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Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

Michael

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits. Somewhere
over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out; nothing changed about
my recipe or the method. What used to turn out meltingly soft and flaky now
turns out, as you say, hockey pucks. Go figure.

Jill

--
Larry T

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

Michael

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits. Somewhere
over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out; nothing changed

about

Quoted message said:

my recipe or the method. What used to turn out meltingly soft and flaky

now

Quoted message said:

turns out, as you say, hockey pucks. Go figure.

Jill

Not an expert here, but I've observed that over mixing will cause the HP
syndrome(hockey puck) in biscuits that made by cutting in shortening. You
also might see this if the shortening is too warm, or the flower too old and
damp.

Larry T (who doesn't do this cause it's too messy, but loves to eat them)

In article said:

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits. Somewhere
over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out; nothing changed about
my recipe or the method. What used to turn out meltingly soft and flaky now
turns out, as you say, hockey pucks. Go figure.

G'day Jill,

It's the ingredients! Somebody has stolen a quantum of fat and/or
protein from the milk; and adulterated the butter with canola grease.
(Oh, and protein in flour is probably declining as well -- unless the
farmers are putting back a decent dollop of nitrogen these days.)

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

Michael

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits. Somewhere
over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out; nothing changed
about
my recipe or the method. What used to turn out meltingly soft and flaky
now
turns out, as you say, hockey pucks. Go figure.

Jill

IIRC, Joy of Cooking has tips on avoiding these problems. Mine's not nearby,
or I'd play secretary for you and look it up.

jmcquown said:

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

Michael

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits. Somewhere
over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out; nothing changed about
my recipe or the method. What used to turn out meltingly soft and flaky now
turns out, as you say, hockey pucks. Go figure.

Jill

Are you using "southern" flour? I have also noticed that some of the
buttermilk is full fat. I don't know if either of these makes a real
difference or not.

Or maybe you just don't hold your mouth right when you are baking.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Phred said:

In article said:

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

> If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
> you're just cooking, eyeball it.
I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits. Somewhere
over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out; nothing changed about
my recipe or the method. What used to turn out meltingly soft and flaky now
turns out, as you say, hockey pucks. Go figure.

G'day Jill,

It's the ingredients! Somebody has stolen a quantum of fat and/or
protein from the milk; and adulterated the butter with canola grease.
(Oh, and protein in flour is probably declining as well -- unless the
farmers are putting back a decent dollop of nitrogen these days.)

Cheers, Phred.

I've heard that about the Buttermilk...My great grandma said they had
ruined it and stopped using buttermilk from the store - she started
using the substitute (milk and vinegar?)

Roberta (in VA)

The Cook said:

jmcquown said:

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

>
> If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
> you're just cooking, eyeball it.
>
> --Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

Michael

I used to be able to make a mean batch of buttermilk biscuits.
Somewhere over the years I lost the knack. Can't figure it out;
nothing changed about my recipe or the method. What used to turn
out meltingly soft and flaky now turns out, as you say, hockey
pucks. Go figure.

Jill

Are you using "southern" flour? I have also noticed that some of the
buttermilk is full fat. I don't know if either of these makes a real
difference or not.

It never made much of a difference what flour I used 25 years ago, but
normally I bought Martha White or Lily for making biscuits. I cannot
honestly say I paid much attention to the fat content in buttermilk back
then but I do notice these days it seems to be all non-fat which definitely
could have some affect.

Quoted message said:

Or maybe you just don't hold your mouth right when you are baking.

LOL! This is one reason I don't bake anymore 🙂

Jill

"The Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Or maybe you just don't hold your mouth right when you are baking.
Susan N.

Que? :-)

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

Quoted message said:

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't
bake worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back.
Followed the recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with
hockey pucks.

Is your baking powder in good shape? Have you used it in other things
successfully? Check its expiration date.

Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

"Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't bake
worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back. Followed the
recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with hockey pucks.

My biscuits turn out fine. I don't know what you're doing different.

5oz (150g) All Purpose flour
2 1/2c Whole wheat flour
2 1/2c Cake flour
1/2 teaspoon (level) baking soda
3 teaspoons (level) baking powder
1 teaspoon (level) salt

1/4c vegetable shortening (lard is better, but I seldom have any)
2 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into 1/4" cubes

1c buttermilk
1/4c heavy cream

Put the dry ingredients into the bowl of your food processor and pulse a
couple of times to mix. Add the shortening and pulse three or four times.
The flour should look mealy now. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir the butter
cubes into the flour briefly. Soak your hands in a bowl of ice water for a
full two minutes. Dry your hands thoroughly. Using just your cold
fingertips, squeeze the butter cubes into thin flattened flakes in the
flour. Work quickly. Make a well in the center of the flour, and pour in the
buttermilk and half of the cream. Gently fold and stir the dry into the wet
with a fork, being careful to get the dry stuff up off the bottom of the
bowl. Preheat oven to 400f. Gently form a ball, and slightly flatten it onto
a sheet of waxed paper or parchment. Wrap it, and refrigerate for 15
minutes, no more. Roll the dough on a floured countertop to slightly over
3/4". Cut into biscuits with a sharp biscuit cutter, pushing straight down.
NO twisting! Place the biscuits on a sheet pan spaced about an inch apart.
No need to grease the pan; they won't stick. When you've cut as many
biscuits as possible, gently gather the scrap dough into a ball, and roll it
out again to cut more biscuits. These won't be quite as pretty or as tender
as the first cut, but they'll still be good. With a pastry brush, paint the
tops of the biscuits with the rest of the cream, being careful not to let
any drip down the sides. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

--Rich

Michael 'Dog3' Lonergan said:

"Rich" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you're measuring leavening for baked goods, level carefully. If
you're just cooking, eyeball it.

--Rich

I know you are responding to Mike but I can't help myself. I can't bake
worth a damned. I made scratch biscuits a few weeks back. Followed the
recipe exactly. Instead of biscuits I wound up with hockey pucks.

Actually good biscuits do take a bit of technique. Most
important to gently bring the dough together and avoid
overmixing. Too much mixing/kneading will definitely give
you hockey pucks.

--
Reg

Mike said:

Hi,

I understand fully that a teaspoon of something in liquid form is a
teaspoon.

But if in a form that could be LEVEL, ROUNDED, or HEAPING, if not so
indicated, then what is it? I'm referring to recipes that call for a
teaspoon of , say, peanut butter, example .only

Thanks....I think I know the answer...no forethough by the recipe
provder.

I've always just used a rounded or heaped teaspoon (I dunk it into the
stuff and use whatever comes out and how heaping it is depends on how
well the substance stacks)... but I'm lazy and I eyeball everything so
it ALL ends up out of proportion to whatever the original recipe said.

[email hidden] (Phred) news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

It's the ingredients! Somebody has stolen a quantum of fat and/or
protein from the milk; and adulterated the butter with canola grease.
(Oh, and protein in flour is probably declining as well -- unless the
farmers are putting back a decent dollop of nitrogen these days.)

Cheers, Phred.

Phred, I never gave this a thought but I'll bet you're on to something.
The recipe I used was Steven's grandmothers. I followed it *exactly* and
got terrible results. The recipe is probably 70 years old and yes, I'm
sure the ingredients have been completely changed since then. Thanks for
the interesting theory.

Michael
--
Ever been this tired?
http://i6.tinypic.com/123tkjo.jpg
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Mike said:

Hi,

I understand fully that a teaspoon of something in liquid form is a
teaspoon.

But if in a form that could be LEVEL, ROUNDED, or HEAPING, if not so
indicated, then what is it? I'm referring to recipes that call for a
teaspoon of , say, peanut butter, example .only

Thanks....I think I know the answer...no forethough by the recipe
provder.

Cooking is not brain surgery even though it is science. If you're an
experienced cook, you'd know which type you prefer in a recipe. If
you're not an experienced cook, begin with level. You may even want
to go in the other direction and subtract to a "scant" teaspoon the
next time you make that recipe.
--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.