Do you measure up?

teamfat · #1 11-23-2007, 11:47 PM

No, this isn't some sexually related spam.

When cooking, do you put in *exactly* 1 tablespoon, or just toss in a healthy pinch? If a recipe calls for 1 cup of broth, will it be forever ruined if you put in 1 cup and 1 ounce?

I was getting some bacon from the meat counter at the store down the street, and told Clive I wanted about a pound of the regular, unpeppered stuff. He threw a very generous handful on the scale, it was something like 1.XX pounds. Perfect, I said. We chatted while he wrapped it and he told me about this one woman who came in a couple of days ago and wanted a pound of bacon. Not 0.97, not 1.02, but 1.00 pounds of bacon. He had to cut one strip in half, then trim it a couple of times before she was happy.

Wow. Are there really people on this planet like that?????

mjb.

DMT · #2 11-23-2007, 11:55 PM

Yeah, there are those of us that like things "precise", but to that (eggs-ACTly 01.0000 pounds) exteme cold be considered an illness.
Unless the woman only had the amount of money that would pay for precisely one pound...
Or didn't have the scales to extract the exact pound...
I've found that cooking "food" is more of an art, where a little over or under on some of the seasonings from a recipe can be gotten by with (ala "season to taste"), where baking is always a science experiment for me.
Speaking of which, I better get some cookie batter into the centrifuge tomorrow...

teamfat · #3 11-24-2007, 12:05 AM

Gosh, a quick response to my own post. Luckily there *are* people out there like that.

Not the whining customer who wanted 1.0000 pounds of bacon, but people like Clive who patiently filled her order instead of leaping over the counter and slitting her throat. I need to zip over there soon and drop off some holiday treats.

mjb.

TJGoSurf · #4 11-24-2007, 08:17 AM

There are alot of people like that, I am not exactly on with everything. Lets just think she is an engineer and needs exact specs in her everyday life.

GhettoRacingKid · #5 11-24-2007, 08:56 AM

I think some of it has to being unsure and not knowing that a littel over or a little under might not make a different.

Even in baking some stuff can be over or under. It jsut depends on what it is and what is function is in the product.

If she only had enough money for 1 lbs wouldnt she be ok with just a little under.

Good for Clive in being a good pateint human being.

I think it happens more often the we realize but just not at the deli counter.

Risque Cakes · #6 11-24-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoRacingKid

I think some of it has to being unsure and not knowing that a littel over or a little under might not make a different.

Even in baking some stuff can be over or under. It jsut depends on what it is and what is function is in the product.

If she only had enough money for 1 lbs wouldnt she be ok with just a little under.

Good for Clive in being a good pateint human being.

I think it happens more often the we realize but just not at the deli counter.

lol

Nope sorry, baking IS an exact science...and some of the ingredients are actually considered...."CHEMICALS" albeit ..natural...Baking soda, bakign powder..

Even the most organic elements in baking like YEAST...MUST be added in precise amounts to get the desired effects!

I could NEVER understand the Bread Chef when he made us take the ambient temperatures before we started to make our breads..now...being part owner of a pizza shop and wanting to make my own dough...I totally appreciate it..( and totally understand it..)

I hope to get good enough to be able to make my dough "organically"..by almost instinct like Granny used to make her breads!!

GhettoRacingKid · #7 11-24-2007, 10:05 AM

Ris,

Jsut to defend my statement alittle.

There are some items that can be alittle over and a little under, but there arent many.

but there are some things such as liek apples in an apple pie where if you have maybe a little extra or a little less it might not matter as much.

What I like to consider key elements to a product like yeast for bread, gleatin for bavarians or such and bakign soda etc... need to be spot on to be right.

Breads and such are such a science more then most things IMO

Risque Cakes · #8 11-24-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoRacingKid

Ris,

Jsut to defend my statement alittle.

There are some items that can be alittle over and a little under, but there arent many.

but there are some things such as liek apples in an apple pie where if you have maybe a little extra or a little less it might not matter as much.

What I like to consider key elements to a product like yeast for bread, gleatin for bavarians or such and bakign soda etc... need to be spot on to be right.

Breads and such are such a science more then most things IMO

ok, ok...you got me there as I love making mile high fruit pies...but you still have to watch your quantities...because then it's just cooked fruit with a little dough on the side! lol

( it's like how I take my coffee...sweet milk with a little coffee on the side!)..lol

GhettoRacingKid · #9 11-24-2007, 12:55 PM

Well there is a point to everything. at some point it is too much or too little.

Ever make a bavarian with too much gelatin. hahaha always funny when I see it. its like a bouncy ball dessert.

I take my coffee, Sugar - no milk and no coffee

I liek to call it a sugar shot. I love taking a shot of a packet of sugar. my favorite is sugar in the raw.

Risque Cakes · #10 11-24-2007, 12:57 PM

Ouch GRK, you must keep your dentist very happy!!

bughut · #11 11-24-2007, 06:35 PM

When i want to relax, i bake. It is, as has already been stated, an exact science If i want 4 times the recipe, i times by 4 and i know that mostly i will get the result i'm looking for.
I love to cook, but if i'm making 4 times the recipe of meatballs, I know that it doesnt need 4 times the chilli powder, cumin, salt etc and i have to think about grading the recipe.

Risque Cakes · #12 11-24-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bughut

When i want to relax, i bake. It is, as has already been stated, an exact science If i want 4 times the recipe, i times by 4 and i know that mostly i will get the result i'm looking for.
I love to cook, but if i'm making 4 times the recipe of meatballs, I know that it doesnt need 4 times the chilli powder, cumin, salt etc and i have to think about grading the recipe.

Hi there,

Bughut, when you bake and want to increase your recipe you do exactly that..but you really should be working with formulas and bakers percentages for a more accurate result.

I love the Science of baking since I'm just a great big geek that loved science!

***************

Oh my, I didn't mean to sound pompous! sorry!!

bbay · #13 11-25-2007, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teamfat

No, this isn't some sexually related spam.

When cooking, do you put in *exactly* 1 tablespoon, or just toss in a healthy pinch? If a recipe calls for 1 cup of broth, will it be forever ruined if you put in 1 cup and 1 ounce?

I was getting some bacon from the meat counter at the store down the street...

quick and to the point, i measure tablespoons in my hand. and sometimes i use 1/3 cup measurerers (not a word, i know) as if they were 1/2 cup measurers (mounded). but i like to tweek recipes to my standards -what i think would be better.

i don't believe there is room for that in baking, however.

and as far as the deli story goes, my deli guy always tries to undersell me. i tell him i want a 1/4 pound of salame gentile or parma prosciutto, he slices for a while and then says 'dude, that's enough. if you run out come back and get it fresh sliced -it'll salt out'. he's right.

the bacon thing was funny, though. that person was obviously trying a new recipe and wasn't comfortable in their abilities to extrapolate.

dfrantzen · #14 11-25-2007, 02:26 AM

I never measure when I'm cooking unless it is a recipe that I am unsure about. Baking however, you better measure carefully or it is all over with!

ChefRAZ · #15 11-25-2007, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoRacingKid

I think some of it has to being unsure and not knowing that a littel over or a little under might not make a different.

Even in baking some stuff can be over or under. It jsut depends on what it is and what is function is in the product.

If she only had enough money for 1 lbs wouldnt she be ok with just a little under.

Good for Clive in being a good pateint human being.

I think it happens more often the we realize but just not at the deli counter.

Baking is not like that.you must measure everything or it will not be consistant.unless your talking about at the checkout counter.