Nutmegger

You do know that a "cup" is an actual measuring device that you buy at the store, with the gradations marked on it? Unless you are talking about converting British recipes, just shove whatever you are measuring into the cup measure, and that is it. They come marked in both grams and ounces and you can get them for both solid and liquid measure.

MrEmjoy

Nutmegger

Eek all you like, but I can't believe I'm the only one who arrived in the US oblivious to the fact that a "cup" was an actual measure, and not something to put tea into with no uniform size!

Leslie

I know, right? What's the big deal? Just buy some measuring cups. You can get them at the dollar store for like a nickel.

Leslie

I'm sure that the OP doesn't know that but all of these people answering him/her DO know that and are making it more difficult than it has to be.

Buy some measuring cups. When making an American recipe take them out and use them. When making a British recipe just use whatever you normally use.

Rete

Well the OP is a professional chef in the UK. I would think that he would be able to adapt quickly to the change in measurements. I've not heard of any chef using a powder to make custard as it is made in a "good" kitchen from stratch and the chefs I watch on television usually do not measure with anything other than a trained eye.

Bomjeito

As an American, wherever I moved in the world, including UK, I took a cheap set of measuring cups and spoons for baking and cooking. They are easily found at the 99c store. I never took the scientific time to even try to convert volume to weight - it just doesn't work well.

Until I got a grasp of using scales in the UK for British recipes, I used the Tala Cooks Dry Measure (found in John Lewis, but available here in USA too.) Liquids I used the conversion scale from mL to cups and guestimated a lot.

Once you get the hang of it, the US measuring cups and spoons system for baking isn't that inconvenient. In fact, I found them in John Lewis and a few cook's stores along the way in Scotland. So someone is cooking with measuring cups at least up there!

Fresh cilantro is a staple in Italian cooking (along with basil, yes which we pronounce BAY-sil), so many of us Americans that grew up in cities with large Italian communities find it of great use and taste. I had difficulty to use ground coriander instead - taste simply was different. Coriander, I understand, is from the seed of the plant's flower.

As for my UK scale, its under the counter, unused, as I can eyeball the approximate volume for a UK recipe. But if I get a new recipe, then I have to get out the scale...depending on the ingredients. But its all good.

Nutmegger

Missed the OP's query on cilantro. You are absolutely right, the fresh green leaves and the power made from the seeds are not interchangeable in a recipe. The green leaf coriander is also called Chinese parsley in some parts of the world, as well as cilantro.

Malashaan

As someone who's always had an "about this much" approach to cooking and baking I actually prefer the US measures; they fit in with my cooking psyche far better. The only problem I have with cooking is that I'm far better at it than my wife so I end up doing it all lol.

avanutria

When we first arrived I had to explain to my DH that when the recipe asked for "one teaspoon" of whatever he had to use an actual measuring device labelled "1 tsp" and not the spoon he used for his tea.

Leslie

That's all good in most entrees/meals but not so much when baking pastries and desserts.

MrEmjoy

Which is why I eek at 'Just use cups' etc.

MrEmjoy

Its just the cup thing I'm eeking at, a cup of sifted flour can still vary by enough to screw up cakes and pastries.

Leslie

My whole point is to simply follow the recipe ... however it may be written.

AmerLisa

You know..... I think I liked the duck better..... I just think it added a bit more color to your avatar....