All flour, meal, confectioners’, powdered and granulated sugar, soda and other dry ingredients, that are put into cartons or cans, that are apt to settle and in some cases harden, should be sifted before measuring. This suggestion is not to be ignored if you would be successful as well as economical, for by sifting these ingredients they are lightened and made to go further.
A Cupful
A cupful means all the cup will hold; the cup is filled with a tablespoon heaping full, then leveled with a knife. Great care must be taken not to shake the cup. All dry ingredients are tossed lightly into the cup, then leveled with a knife.
Measuring Liquids
Place the cup to be filled on a saucer, and fill it to the brim. A cupful of liquid could not be carried safely across the kitchen without spilling some of its contents.
Measuring Butter, Lard, Etc.
Fats used for shortening are packed solidly in cups, table or teaspoon and leveled with a knife. A pair of measuring cups will be found very convenient when measuring ingredients. One for the dry and the other for the shortening and liquids. One cup may serve the purpose if dry ingredients are measured first, then liquids and fats when such ingredients are called for.
Tablespoons and Teaspoons
Tablespoons of regulation size are filled and leveled with a knife. A teaspoon is filled and leveled with a knife. To measure liquids, a table or teaspoon means all the spoon will hold. To measure dry ingredients in table or teaspoon, dip the spoon in the ingredient. When filled, lift, and level with knife, sharp edge of blade turned toward handle of spoon. Dividing with knife lengthwise of the bowl of spoon is a half-teaspoonful. Dividing the half crosswise is a fourth, and dividing the fourth crosswise is one-eighth. Divisions are made in the teaspoon the same. Less than an eighth of a teaspoon is a few grains.
