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Post by emma on Sept 12, 2018 15:19:52 GMT -5
Cookbook authors and bloggers use these terms, incorrectly, all the time. How do you write, or read, it? -
"Allow it to cool to room temperature"?
"Let it cool to room temperature"?
"Bring it to room temperature"?
"Cool to room temperature"?
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Allow - means - To give permission. You can't give permission to an inanimate object.
Let - means - Not to forbid something. One can't forbid or not forbid an inanimate object.
Bring - means - Come to a place with (someone or something)
. Or, to make (someone or something) move in a particular direction or way.
"Cool to room temperature" - Is correct, logical and concise.
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Post by Catbatty on Sept 12, 2018 17:52:16 GMT -5
Emma, <sorry for my rant here...but you've hit on one of my hot spots>
A friend of mine created a software program that can do all kinds of things related to transforming recipes for computer programs and cooks. I have helped him work on it for, I think, over 10 years now.
The program (RecipeClips) has to look over what authors write and make the words accurately fit into various 'fields' of recipe software programs and applications. (Often the fields have to meet certain criteria or have limited space.) Mastercook software is my main interest and so I test recipes and cookbooks all the time...running them through RecipeClips (for my own use--to put them in my Mastercook program for later use--and also to test the program for my friend...who is always working on fixes and improvements).
We...more like HE...goes INSANE over the way recipes are often written, especially the ingredient sections and also, on same lines, where authors describe how the ingredient should be prepped. My friend has to make the program (usually) REwrite the lines so that they can go correctly into each column in that section of the recipe. Anyway, after 20 plus years of working on related stuff (I previously worked on building a different recipe program - MC_Buster)... I now have GREAT RESPECT for well-known authors who know how to convey their thoughts in consistent and easily understandable ways that leave NO ROOM for confusion or misunderstanding.
Great cookbook authors are worth every penny we spend on them. I have almost no tolerance anymore for cheap crap cookbooks. I feel that they are unreliable. In my opinion, most often, they are waste of money, time, and groceries.
It's too bad. I remember the day when hand-me-down recipe cards were what we used and they worked just fine. But...
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Post by soupandstew on Sept 13, 2018 17:07:56 GMT -5
I frequently shake my head (and occasionally bang it on the kitchen counter) over issues like this. "One cup onion, chopped" IS NOT THE SAME AS "one cup chopped onion", although I am sure both writers meant the same thing. Mean what you say and say what you mean! And don't get me started on "one medium onion, chopped". What is a medium onion? How about "1-1/4 quarter cups chopped onion"?
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Post by Catbatty on Sept 13, 2018 17:50:58 GMT -5
Yep. Agree. You should see the bread book I read last night on my Kindle. Just about every direction paragraph starts with: "Take your" -- and it got worse from there. It was NOT a Beth Hensperger book, I can tell you that. LOL I frequently shake my head (and occasionally bang it on the kitchen counter) over issues like this. "One cup onion, chopped" IS NOT THE SAME AS "one cup chopped onion", although I am sure both writers meant the same thing. Mean what you say and say what you mean! And don't get me started on "one medium onion, chopped". What is a medium onion? How about "1-1/4 quarter cups chopped onion"? |
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Post by swedishcook on Sept 14, 2018 15:05:52 GMT -5
Thanks Emma for starting this thread! Apparently I'm not the only one with strong opinions regarding recipes. As most of my recipes are copied off the Internet I can easily edit the text myself.
I'm clueless about onions, but at least I know (since a year back) what a medium potato is:
"According to the United States Department of Agriculture a medium potato must be at least 2-1/4 inches in diameter and weigh at least 5 ounces. The medium potato must also be less than 3-1/4 inches in diameter and weigh less than 10 ounces."
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Post by emma on Sept 15, 2018 12:50:36 GMT -5
Food Equivalents ~
Fresh Fruit
Apples, Whole - 1 Pound (3 Medium), 2 3/4 Cups Pared and Diced or Sliced
Apricots, Whole - 1 Pound (8 to 12), 2 1/2 Cups Halved or Sliced
Avocado - 1 Pound (2 Medium), 2 1/2 Cups Sliced
Bananas, Whole - 1 Pound (3 to 4), 2 Cups Sliced, or 1 1/3 Cups Mashed
Cherries, Red - 1 Pound, 2 Cups Pitted
Cranberries - 1 Pound (4 Cups), 4 Cups Sauce
Currants - 1 Pound, 3 Cups
Grapes - 1 Pound, 2 1/2 Cups Seeded
Lemon -1 Medium, 3 Tablespoons Juice, 2 Teaspoons Grated Peel
Lime - 1 Medium, 2 Tablespoons Juice
Orange - 1 Medium, 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Juice, 1/2 Cup Diced or Sectioned
Peaches - 1 Medium, 1/2 Cup Sliced
Pears -1 Medium, 1/2 Cup Sliced
Rhubarb, Cut -1 Pound, (4 to 8 Pieces), 2 Cups Cooked
Strawberries - 1 Quart, 1 Pint, 4 Cups Sliced, 1 3/4 Cup Sliced
Fresh Vegetables
Beans, Green - 1 Pound (3 Cups), 2 1/2 Cups Cooked
Beets, Without Tops - 1 Pound (4 Medium), 2 Cups Cooked and Diced
Brussels Sprouts - 1 Pound (4 Cups), 2 1/2 Cups Cooked
Cabbage - 1 Pound, (1 Small Head) - 5 Cups Shredded, or 2 Cups Cooked
Carrots - 1 Pound, (6- 8 Medium), 3 Cups Shredded, 2 1/2 Cups Diced, or 2 to 2 1/2 Cups Cooked
Celery - 1 Medium Bunch, 4 1/2 Cups Diced or Chopped
Corn, Ears - 12 Medium, 2 1/2 Cups Cooked
Green Onions with Tops - 1 Bunch, (6-7 Medium Onions), 1/2 Cup Sliced
Green Pepper - 1 Large (6 Ounces), 1 Cup Diced
Mushrooms - Crowns, Sliced, Chopped, 1/4 Pound, (1 1/4 Cups), 1/2 Cup Cooked, 3/8 Cup Cooked, 3/8 Cup Cooked
Olives - Stuffed, 4 Ounces (48 Small), 1 Cup Sliced
Onions - 1 Medium, 1/2 Cup Chopped
Potatoes -1 Pound (3 Medium), 2 Cups Pared, Thinly Sliced; 2 Cups Cubed, and Cooked;, or 1 3/4 Cup Mashed
Radishes - 1 Bunch, about 1 Cup Sliced
Spinach - 1 Pound (4 Cups), 1 1/2 Cup Cooked
Tomatoes -1 Pound (4 Small), 1 1/2 Cup Cooked
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