Old Cooking Definitions

Here is a list of terms definitions and measurements used in old cookbooks.  These are very helpful when trying to follow old recipes.

Oven temperatures

Slow = up to 300 FVery moderate = 300 F – 350 FModerate/Medium = 350 F – 400 FHot/Quick/Fast = 400 F – 450 FVery Hot/Very Quick = 450 F – 500 F

Baking times

Cookies: bake until just goldenCakes: bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and toothpick or butter knife inserted in center comes out cleanBread: bake until bread pulls away from sides of pan, or when tapped you hear a hollow soundCustards: bake until just setSingle crust filled pies: hot oven (425-450 F) for 1st ten minutes to crisp the crust, lower to moderate (350 F) to finishUnfilled pie shell: bake at 425 F for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly brownedUnfilled tart shell: bake at 425 F for 12 minutes

1 pound yields

•    4 cups sifted flour•    4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour•    3 1/2 cups graham flour•    3 cups cornmeal•    5 1/2 cups rolled oats•    2 1/4 cups white sugar•    2 1/2 cups brown sugar•    2 3/4 cups powdered sugar•    1 1/3 cups molasses or honey•    2 cups milk•    4 cups nut meats, chopped•    3 cups dried fruit

Liquid Measurements

•    pint = 2 cups•    quart = 4 cups•    gill = 4 ounces (1/4 pound, metric = 5 ounces as a metric pound is 20 ounces)•    peck = 8 quarts•    bushel = 4 pecks

Bushel weights

•    60 pounds apples = 1 bushel•    52 pounds beans = 1 bushel•    24 pounds beets = 1 bushel•    56 pounds carrots = 1 bushel•    55 pounds flour = 1 bushel•    54 pounds onions = 1 bushel•    45 pounds parsnips = 1 bushel•    50 pounds potatoes = 1 bushel•    60 pounds string beans = 1 bushel•    60 pounds sweet potatoes = 1 bushel•    48 pounds tomatoes = 1 bushel•    196 pounds turnips = 1 barrel

Definitions

•    Addled – spoiled or rotten•    Anker = 10 gallons•    Bee Sweetin’ – honey•    Boil to a height – boiling point of candy or crystallizing•    Butt = 126 gallons•    Butter Size of an Egg – ¼ cup or 2 oz•    Butter Size of a Walnut – 2 tbsp•    Cake compressed yeast = 1 package active dry yeast•    Cauled – heated just below boiling point•    Clinkers – stale biscuits•    Coffee Spoons, Two – 1 tsp•    Coffee cupful – 1 cup or 8 oz•    Coffin – dish or mould in which a pie was baked in•    Coomb = 4 bushels•    Cornmeal, 3 cups scant – 1 lb•    Dash – 1/16 tsp•    Dessert spoon – 1 ½ tsp•    Dram – 1/8 oz or 3 scruples•    Drop – 1/60 tsp•    Eggs – med eggs•    Eggs, ten w/o shells – 1 lb eggs•    Fat = means butter•    Few grains – less than 1/8 tsp•    Five-cent jar – 8 – 12 oz jar•    Firkin = 9 gallons•    French Vinegar – usually tarragon vinegar•    Frizzle – cooking an item in butter or fat until it curls or crisps•    Gem – muffin or cupcake•    Gill – ½ cup or 4 oz•    Glassful – ¼ cup or 2 oz•    Handful – approx 1 oz•    Hint – a trace•    Hogshead = 63 gallons•    Hot closet – warming oven•    Indian meal – cornmeal•    Jar – 3 oz•    Jigger – 1.5 oz•    Kitchen spoon – 1 tsp•    Lard = use shortening•    Large rounded scoop in palm of the hand – 1 tbsp•    Last = 80 bushels•    Lump – approx 2 tbsp (refers to butter)•    Nun’s toast -French toast•    Pinch – 1/16 tsp•    Pottle = 2 quarts•    Potage – soup•    Pound of eggs – approx 1 doz med eggs•    Puncheon = 84 gallons•    Quick oven – approx 375 – 400 degrees F•    Runlet = 18 gallons•    Salt spoonful – approx ¼ tsp•    Saucer – approx 9 oz (heaping cup)•    Small rounded scoop in palm of the hand – 1 tsp•    Smidgen – 1/32 tsp•    Sour milk = buttermilk OR 1 tablespoon vinegar added to 1 cup whole milk•    Sweet milk = milk (whole is best for baking, but 2%, 1% and skim can be used successfully)•    Tad -1/8 tsp•    Tea-cupful – a scant ¾ cup (scant, meaning less than)•    Tumbler – 1 cup or 8 oz•    Tierce = 42 gallons•    Try, try out – render fat•    Wey = 40 bushels•    Wineglassful – approx ¼ cup or 2 oz

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