You have been weighed, you have been measured....

Well, not exactly, but I love that movie!  If you are like me, you find it almost impossible to bake a cake or make bread without proper measuring cups & spoons.  But we are certain that this plastic, aluminum and silicone devices did not exist to our 19th century ancestors. Or did they?

When we encounter original recipes- it can go something like this- add butter the size of a hens egg to a tea cup of milk.   Really.... a hens egg....really!

Graduated Tin Measures

Standard measures were not common until Fanny Farmer published here lovely book in 1869. I do thank her for this revolutionary thought of standard measures, but what did our ancestors do before? Measuring cups were around, in a since.

Liquids could be measured in tin cups. Cups, Pints, Quarts. Cups could be bought in graduated sets like these or cups had rings around them to designate the amount of liquid (very similar to today's modern measuring cups).

These tin measuring cups are still available for purchase from many sutlers & tinsmiths. Occasionally you can find an "original". I do try to prevent people from using originals, but some of these tine cups were used up until the 1950s for bulk orders, so some may still be safe to use.  Make sure they are clean & rust free, if they are tin keep a light coat of oil on them to keep rust away.  You can also buy tin reproductions from Old Sturbridge Village .

Dry goods, such as flour, sugar, indian meal, etc. were most likely measured in pounds rather than cups. Just as modern bakers recommend, weighing ingredients gives a better product. Miss Beecher gives an illustration for Balances for Cake.

Miss Beechers Domestic Receipt-book, 1871. 

Balances would have one side for the good to be measured and another pan for the weight to be placed. Weighing loose dry goods, such as flour, helps to give a more exact measurement rather than packing flour into a cup to be mixed which can result in too much flour- and dry baked goods.

Pan Balance with weights 

Measuring small amounts- teaspoons & tablespoons may have been a bit more tricky. It seems that spoons of different sizes were used before the standardized measures.

Apothecary spoon of Horn

 This seems to be the only "measuring spoon" I can find so far. ( I did not search the globe) It is horn, used to measure goods at an apothecary. Such spoons would have been handy in the kitchen- and who is to say they weren't? I did manage to find a company that reproduces a spoon similar to this in copper as well- find it here.  This company has lots of other cool 19th Century copper gadgets as well!



By the turn of the century it seems that many cooks were buying into the standard measuring system. Standard measuring cups & spoons were more readily available, and cookery books, such as Fanny Farmer began publishing their receipts using this new system.

Measuring spoons c. 1900. 

For more on period measurments & conversions please read "When a cup is not a cup?" by V. Mescher- I keep this chart on my wall for constant reference!

What I Do

If I am going to an event where I know I will be baking or need a specific amounts of an ingredient I pre- measure at home!! Yes, this saves the hassle of trying to find a "proper" measuring cups & spoons. I package the items in bags or boxes and then its hassle-free baking as well! I  have an absent mind at times, and if I am interpreting to the public while cooking, I often for get if that was my third or fourth cup of sugar! 

I have also measured out a few of my spoons, cups & bottles that I use. For instance I have a small white tea-cup that holds one gill (half- cup) it is perfect!! I use it all the time!! 

So, get whether or not you can afford the wonderful reproduction tin ware or not- you can still get accurate measures for your foodstuffs at events! Experiment at home with your supplies on hand & see which ones are "standard" cups or tumblers, teaspoons are gills. 

As always- Happy cooking!! 

Don't You Just Love New Things?

I like to share when I get new things- and share where to get them!! I usually browse through local Thrift & Antique stores at least once a month looking for hidden treasures for good prices. I have lucked out a few times, here are some of my findings!!

Looks great right? Almost all of it was found at local Antique markets. Some were bought new. This is a great example of how you can mix old and new to get the perfect mix of what you need. 

The two baskets were bought together for just $11!! They both have lids, and nestle for easy storage. They are the perfect size for small cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc. The lids will be helpful in keeping out bugs, dirt, etc. during events. 

The bundle of twigs (as my husband calls it) is a Swedish-made birch twig whisk. These whisks are supposed to be top quality with getting lumps out of gravy, I will have to test it and see. I bought this one from the Gift Chalet, you can get one too for just $12.00! 

The small pitcher holds about a cup and a half. I picked it up cheap thinking it would be good for cream or when you need just a splash of something on the table. 

The small jar is actually a mustard jar that can be bought from Jas Townsend and Son.  I had never ordered anything like this over the internet, and I wanted to see the quality, so I got a small little jar to use for mustard, or honey, or molasses.  I will say that I think it is quite cute! I may order more pottery items from Jas. 

Detail of design near handle.

The best item in my new stash is my salt-glazed jug. It was a great surprise from my sweet husband. I have been wanting one for a while, but I have never brought myself to actually buy one. I have not measured how much it will hold, but I am thinking close to a gallon. This will be great to have along for those one-day events when you don't want to haul around a lot of stuff. 

More recipes coming soon!! I am currently trying to decide what to make next, I have a list!!! We are still in the process of packing, so I see it being something fun & easy!!

An Early Gift

So my DH surprised me last night with an early Christmas Gift! He had bought me a reproduction spice tin!  It is so cute!! It is a round brown tin with six small labeled tins inside and a nutmeg grater! It has containers for Mustard, Ginger, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Mace, and the nutmeg grater! I was so excited to get it that I filled it up right then, well everything except the Mace, which I will have to buy.

All the spices in their containers

Learning From Art

As someone who spends hours searching through books reading first hand accounts and recipe's its nice to look at the colorful art brought to us by our ancestors. The colorful paintings provide a window to the past. They are the "snapshots" of the past. While photography was invented, and used, there are few images inside of homes and of common people carrying out their daily duties. For images that look into daily period life, I turn to paintings.

Some of the best domestic scenes were painted by Lilly Martin Spencer. Spencer used incredible details in her paintings that allow us to almost feel like part of the scene. 

Peeling Onions c. 1852

In Spencer's Painting Peeling Onions we can see the variety of fruits and vegetables, even the chicken waiting to be prepared. We can also see the utensils being used. The subject is hold a knife in her hand, and there is a spoon on the table. We can also see a small pot, some sort of bottle, and a crock on the table. This style of painting lets modern viewers see they shape and style of utensils that were used. The painting also shows us the variety of foods that were prepared.

The Young Wife First Stew c.1854

In this painting we have two subjects in the kitchen, preparing a meal(stew). Again, we see a variety of foods waiting to be prepared, mainly vegetables.  The kitchen in cluttered with ingredients, spilling off of the table onto the chair and to the floor. In this scene we get a wider look into a kitchen. The background is full of period gadgets! The shelves are full of crockery and tin ware waiting to be used. We get a glimpse of the fire place too. This scene allows us to see more the "kitchen" as much as the food being prepared.

By studying these paintings we can get a view of what a 19th Century Kitchen was really like. We can view a little piece of their world and get a better understanding of how they lived their daily lives. As a result we can improve our own interpretation, and our own presentations.