Excuse the mess! As you may have noticed, Flurries of Flour is going through a bit of a fall cleaning. And as I’m one person who is definitely not a programmer, it’s taking a while. I’m very excited about the new theme, however. What do you all think? I’ll be adding (and probably subtracting) over the next week or so. Please let me know if you notice anything strange or any broken links that need attention-I would be grateful if you would let me know.
Anyway, on to the actual post!
When it comes to questions about cooking, I get this a lot: “what exactly is a pinch? How much of (insert ingredient here) should I use?”
You can easily measure a cup of whipped cream, a teaspoon of chocolate, or a liter of soup stock, but there are some strange measurements out there for which there usually aren’t measurements.
Why is it Called a “Pinch”
A pinch is called a pinch because it was exactly that: “an amount that can be taken between the thumb and forefinger”. Historically, there wasn’t anything more specific than that. More recently, the measuring spoons and cups measured above have specified that a pinch is equal to 1/16 of a teaspoon.
The Actual Measurements
I’ve put together a chart that shows strange measurements and their measurable counterparts:
Pinch | 1/16 of a teaspoon |
Dash | 1/8 of a teaspoon |
If you don’t have an 1/8 measurement, in a pinch (see what I did there?) you can make a cupping motion out of one hand and pour the ingredient into the very center of your palm. It’s a technique I was taught in culinary school, of all places.
You can also use your teaspoon and eyeball an 1/8th and a 1/16th. Just remember that it’s okay to be slightly off with your measurements. It’s a small enough measurement that it won’t affect the outcome of whatever you’re making. Plus, pinches have always been an inexact science if you think about their origin.
So I hope that answers your questions about “pinches” and “dashes”. Now you know what to do when they come up in recipes.