HANDY KITCHEN MEASURES

How many teaspoons in a table spoon; what does a 'rounded' tablespoon mean; how much does 3 level tablespoons of flour weigh? This sort of query often arises and usually at the most inconvenient moment.

Recipes often give ingredients in "spoons" but what if you don't have the particular spoon to hand. Here is a handy conversion chart for the most popular sizes.

This is followed by explanation as to what the various different terms applied to these measurements mean e.g. rounded, level etc. and approximate conversion in weight format.

SPOON MEASURES
1 Tablespoon (tbls)	3 Teaspoons
1 Dessert Spoon	2 Teaspoons
1 Level Tablespoon (tbls)	15 ml
1 Level Teaspoon (tsp)	5 ml

A tablespoon or tbls., when referring to dry goods (i.e. flour etc.) usually means a rounded tablespoon.

A rounded tablespoon means there is as much of the product you are measuring above the top edge of the spoon as there is in the "bowl" of the spoon.

A heaped tablespoon means as much as you can get on the spoon without it falling off.

A level tablespoon is where the ingredient is only level with the top edge of the spoon. This can be achieved by filling the spoon and then running a knife horizontally across the top two edges of the spoon which discards anything above the level of the spoon. Of course, do make sure you have something underneath to catch it!

A stick of butter is equal to half a cup, 4 ounces, 8 tablespoons or 113 grams.

Equivalents of American measures using standard measuring cup of 8 fl. oz
Sifted flour	1 cup	4 oz.
Granulated/Caster sugar (superfine)	1 cup	8 oz.
Butter, lard or margarine	1 cup	8 oz

If there are no scales available you may find the following useful -

THE FOLLOWING ARE ALL EQUIVALENT TO APPROXIMATELY 25 g or 1 oz
1 level tablespoon	Salt	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
3 level tablespoons	Flour	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
2 level tablespoons	Rice	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
5 level tablespoons	Grated Cheese	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
4 level tablespoons	Cocoa Powder	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
1 level tablespoon	Honey/Syrup/Jam	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
2 level tablespoons	Granulated sugar	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
3 level tablespoons	Sifted Icing Sugar	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
6 level tablespoons	Fresh breadcrumbs	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz
4 level tablespoons	Porridge oats	Approx. 25 g or 1 oz

For other handy measurements by commodity/ingredient given in Imperial, Metric and American cups click here or if it is liquid conversions you need then try here.

BASIC METRICS
8 oz (ounces)	225 gr (gram/grammes)
1 lb (pound)	450 gr (gram/grammes) or 1/2 kilogramme
1 3/4 pints	1 litre
1 ft (foot)	30 cms

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