STANDARDIZED RECIPES

All recipes are not created equal. Some recipes have missing ingredients, faulty seasonings,
insufficient or poor instructions causing more work, and some are simply not tested.
A standardized recipe is a set of written instructions used to consistently prepare a known
quantity and quality of food for a specific location. A standardized recipe will produce a product
that is close to identical in taste and yield every time it is made, no matter who follows the
directions.

Common cooking abbreviations

Although some recipes spell out measurements, a lot of cookbooks use abbreviations.
Oftentimes, different books will use different abbreviations, which can cause confusion when
putting together a dish.

Common Abbreviations for Measurements in Cooking

ABBREVIATIONS UNIT OF MEASUREMENT

C cup

g gram

kg kilogram

L,l liter

lb pound

ml Milliliter

oz ounce

pt pint

t,tsp teaspoon

T,TB,TBl, Tbsp tablespoon

Equal Amounts This table shows you equivalents, or measurements that are equal to other
measurements.Proper measuring of ingredients is important to successful cooking and baking.
Some foods can be greatly affect by too much or too little of certain ingredients, such as salt,
baking soda, baking powder and hot or spicy ingredients, such as cayenne pepper.

Conversion Measurements in Cooking

UNIT OF MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENT

Pinch or dash less than 1/8 teaspoon

 3 teaspoons 1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons 1 fluid ounce

4 tablespoons 1/4 cup

5 tablespoons plus 1 1/3 cup

teaspoon

12 tablespoons 3/4 cup

16 tablespoons 1 Cup

1 Cup 8 fluid ounces

Basic substitution

Ingredient Cornstarch (for thickening)

amount 1 tablespoon

substitutions 2 tablespoons flour

ingredients Baking Powder, double-

acting

amount 1 teaspoon

substitutions ½ teaspoon cinnamon

plus ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
plus 1/8 teaspoon
cardamom

Ingredients Butter

amount 1 cup

Substitutions •1 cup margarine (regular)

•1 cup vegetable
shortening (for baking)
• An equal amount of oil
can be substituted for a
similar portion of melted
butter if the recipe
specifies using melted
butter