Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttrdc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mgnetp!ltuxa!ttrdc!levy From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy) Newsgroups: net.cooks Subject: Re: How to measure shortening Message-ID: <534@ttrdc.UUCP> Date: Mon, 28-Oct-85 19:32:27 EST Article-I.D.: ttrdc.534 Posted: Mon Oct 28 19:32:27 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 30-Oct-85 04:33:45 EST References: <1017@decwrl.UUCP> <295@ukecc.UUCP> <414@gymble.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: AT&T, Computer Systems Division, Skokie, IL Lines: 34 In article <414@gymble.UUCP>, beth@gymble.UUCP (Beth Katz) writes: >Karen Kolling writes: >>> Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup >>> of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then >>> keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon >>> until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of >>> shortening. >Edward C. Bennett responds: >> But if know how to fill the 1-cup measure half full of water, >>why not just fill it half full of shortening in the first place. ;-) >I realize that Edward was half-joking, but the reason for using a half >cup of water is to compensate for the air pockets that tend to be a >problem if you don't use the water. With the water, you just plop in >the shortening and don't have to squash it into the edges of the cup. > Beth Katz Ok, problem with the water method is: first, there still can be trapped air INSIDE the hunk of shortening you are pushing under; second, you end up with a wet hunk of shortening which is not as easy to cut into dry flour as dry shortening would be (and if you are making something like a large batch of biscuit mix which is to sit, it would defuse the baking powder). I think it is as good as anything else to pack it into a metal scoop-type measure of the exact capacity desired (or of course a submultiple thereof) with something small and flat like a table knife. Trying to pack it into a measure only partway is difficult, as the shortening is not self-leveling in the measure introducing inaccuracy even if there are no air pockets. -- ------------------------------- Disclaimer: The views contained herein are | dan levy | yvel nad | my own and are not at all those of my em- | an engihacker @ | ployer or the administrator of any computer | at&t computer systems division | upon which I may hack. | skokie, illinois | -------------------------------- Path: ..!ihnp4!ttrdc!levy