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1-1/2 cups, 3/4 teaspoon, a pinch, 2 Tbs., 10 ml., 350 degrees for 35 minutes, 4 ounces.

Measurements in the kitchen are a requisite procedure cooks have respected for centuries. The recipe is a time-honored list of ingredients and instructions that note temperature, volume, seconds, and weight measurements that all work together in a scientific manner to create a delicious final result. But as Julia Child once said, "Cooking is often one disaster after another," which doesn't sound promising for cooks heading into the kitchen. She did, however, follow that statement up with, "What you learn is the only thing you can't fix is a soufflé."

But why not head disaster off at the pass by starting with precise measurements of volume, weight, temperature, and time. You'll certainly be your customers' hero if you educate — or re-educate — them about the necessity of precise measurements while cooking and baking.



Time on Our Side

An Englishman may have stretched out his arm in front of his face and called the measurement between his nose and fingertip a yard to parcel up a plot of land, but today measurement precision is essential to achieving the proper final results in the culinary arena.

Though cooks have always realized the need for measuring ingredients for a recipe, before official weights and measures were standardized, they utilized a more primitive and therefore, less precise method. Their measurements were described as "walnut-size," "a wine glass," or "a few handfuls."

Luckily, today's methods are more precise than those in the past — we have Fanny Farmer to thank for that. Her systemization of recipes in the late 1800s switched measurements such as "walnut sized," or "a pinch" into ones which are more calibrated — cups and teaspoons.

Marion Cunningham writes of Farmer's influence on measuring in The New Cooks' Catalogue (Knopf), calling her the "Mother of Level Measurements." Cunningham notes her influence on "every succeeding generation of American cooks, who wouldn't be able to function without her accomplishment, especially when baking." But, as Cunningham points out, precise measurements don't guarantee success in the kitchen. "Fine cooks also know that her attributes — passion and a fine palate — can often do more for a recipe than a perfectly measured spoonful of salt," states Cunningham.



Building a Better Mousetrap

Perhaps the most fundamental tools for measuring in the kitchen are cups and spoons. These tools are commonplace in any American kitchen, and a must on any kitchenware retailer's inventory list. While essential, they don't often evoke much excitement from consumers or retailers. After all, a cup is a cup is a cup. Right?

Wrong. Just when you thought a measuring spoon or cup couldn't be improved, manufacturers have actually built a better mousetrap.

It seems so elementary now — now that someone has pointed it out to us. But anyone measuring liquids in a measuring cup has always had to bend down to view the level of the liquid in the cup. Now, all customers have to do is look straight down into the measuring cup, and a slanted measure tells them how much liquid is within it.

Little changes like this make all the difference in making measuring more convenient and more precise. To help bakers better gauge odd measurements, several manufacturers have introduced new sizes of cups and spoons that measure a pinch, 1/8 or 2/3 teaspoons, or 11/2 or 33/4 cups. Other minor changes to these kitchen essentials include changing the shape of the cup or spoon from round to oval shaped with straight sides that fit better into narrow containers. And, if those cups are made of stainless steel, they can also be used on the stovetop, conveniently doubling them as vessels in which one can melt butter or chocolate, or heat up syrup for pancakes.

"The energy in the category comes from a redefinition of the basics," said Matthew Bunn, VP of merchandising for Cooking.com. "Oval measuring spoons, the slant-line measuring cup, or the Perfect Beaker appeal to bakers and are pushed with bread machine cookbooks. So they fit a niche and the new twists certainly add excitement to the category."

While Bunn notes that these new designs have helped infuse energy into this category, he also points to sales often being vendor driven. "Sales correlate with what consumers have in their kitchens. Those who have Good Grips gadgets will tend to purchase measuring tools to match. Or if they have a stainless steel kitchen, they seek measuring tools that will match their kitchen or pots and pans."



Scaling New Heights

As we said before, a cup is a cup is a cup. But when it comes to comparing a cup of flour measured in a cup with a cup of flour measured on a scale, sometimes the difference in measurements is alarming. And that difference can often create disastrous results in the kitchen. For instance, a loaf of bread may be flat or a cake too heavy.

The scale has always been a fixture in European kitchens, but only recently have American consumers uncovered this secret. Its popularity is being fueled by our realization that measuring by weight is more exact than measuring by volume. Slowly but surely, consumers are recognizing that it's not just another gadget for the kitchen, but rather a much-needed tool.

Part of the driving force behind this change is consumer interest coupled with a bit of education by retailers as to which tools best meet those interests. The increasing number of Americans who subscribe to portion control weight management are scooping up scales like there's no tomorrow. The growing interest in all things culinary fueled by television cooking shows, culinary magazines, and cookbooks has driven some consumers back to the kitchen, and prompted those who had never been there before to try it on for size.

These well-informed consumers have realized that the need to convert a recipe isn't something only chefs require as they change a recipe for ten into a recipe for 100. Converting recipes at home is a daily occurrence as consumers change a recipe for four to one for seven, or when entertaining from one meant for four to accommodate fifteen. Consumers are simply less likely to make a mistake in the conversion when going by weight as opposed to volume. Further, semi-solid ingredients, such as peanut butter and shortening, can be measured exactly each time with a scale.

"Category growth of scales in the last few years has at least doubled," said Jeff Blanchard, buyer for Sur La Table. "Whereas scales were not seen as a necessary tool in the past, people are now realizing that by using scales, they have precision they can't typically get when measuring by volume."

Scales fall into two general categories — mechanical (analog) and electronic (digital). Each offers its own features, but both are quite easy to operate. It is important to determine what the customers will be using their scales for. For instance, if a scale is to be used for portion control, the scale's capacity doesn't need to be as great as if the consumer is measuring large quantities of flour or other ingredients for baking.

Scales that measure up to 22 pounds are most efficient for canning, preserving, or cutting up big pieces of meat. The average baker would covet an electronic scale whose weighing capacity is 11 pounds or 5 kilograms. There is a trade-off between capacity and the increments in which the scale measures. For instance, a five-pound scale will probably measure in eighths of an ounce, while the 11-pound one will probably measure in quarter pounds.

A basic feature of both mechanical or electronic scales is the tare feature. With these add-and-weigh scales, the user can add an ingredient, then zero out the scale to add and weigh the next ingredient. A feature of the more sophisticated electronic versions allows users to measure liquids by pressing a "fluid ounce" button.

One advantage of the mechanical over the electronic versions has been price, but consumers actually get a lot more with an electronic scale because they gain greater accuracy. Up until recently, mechanical scales comprised the bulk of kitchen scale sales, but as prices have decreased on electronic models, sales of the latter have surged.

Surprisingly for a kitchen tool that has not been a staple in U.S. kitchen, digital scales with an average price point of $60 have no problem selling. Sur La Table carries numerous scales ranging from eight-ounce capacity diet portion scales to more sophisticated digital scales with a whole host of bells and whistles.

"A lot of customers are paying attention to individual portions when they're fixing meals," added Blanchard. At Sur La Table, 30 different versions of mechanical scales may be available — some with the simple tare, add-and-weigh scales, some with measuring bowls, and some without. The digital scales represent 75 to 80 percent of the scale SKUs in the store, with an average price point of $60, each offering different style designs and features. "Our number one or two in sales is the Baker's Dream scale because it has a feature where the user can switch from weighing dry ingredients to liquid ingredients," explained Blanchard. "It is also equipped with a small book that talks about equivalents so the user can convert volume or weight measurements for a specific ingredient in a recipe."

Greg Fox, director of merchandise and planning at Cooking.com, agrees that scales are healthy sellers. "Scales have been a strong category for the past few years," Fox said. "What we've seen is steady growth as opposed to a real peak in sales."

Helping maintain that steady growth is the impact dieting has had on the use of scales. "There definitely is more consciousness about scales in the kitchen, especially among consumers concerned about portion control (such as Weight Watchers), or who are on low-carb diets," said Fox. "But even at the higher end, sales of scales are growing, especially among our customers who are bakers."

For Sur La Table, "scales have become so successful in their own right that we don't conduct many promotions," explained Blanchard. "Instead, they're sold by training the staff to explain the different features and benefits, finding out how the customers will use them, then steering them in the right direction."

In the Heat of the Kitchen

Although ingredients are measured precisely and baked for a specific amount of time, bread's consistency may be off just a bit when taken out of the oven. The fresh lettuce you bought just a day ago wilts once it's taken out of the refrigerator. That hamburger cooked to medium well gives you a little tummy ache. The culprit — improper temperature. The solution — a thermometer.

If you've ever worked in a restaurant, watched a cooking show, or marveled as a barista elegantly transformed milk into a frothy head, there was probably one kitchen tool in the chef's front pocket ready for use at all times — a thermometer. At home, your mother always had one sticking out of the Thanksgiving turkey, but that may have been the only time the thermometer made an appearance in the kitchen. Today, consumers are quickly realizing the need for having on hand a variety of thermometers that can help make tasks in the kitchen safer and quicker and prevent food waste.

Thermometers for cooking, baking, and barbecuing are available. There are thermometers for making candy, frying, gauging oven temperatures, maintaining proper temperatures in the refrigerator or freezer, and even monitoring the temperature of milk when steaming it for a delicious latte. The thermometer's use extends well beyond the Thanksgiving turkey, but do your customers realize that?

As a 1998 food safety and inspection research study discovered, one out of every four hamburgers turns brown before it is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Only three percent of consumers check their hamburgers with a food thermometer, instead opting to judge the burger's doneness by its color. These statistics can highlight the food safety issue for your customers, helping them realize that while they are confident they can determine a medium-rare steak by sight, they may not be accurate.

Food safety issues may have been the impetus behind growing consumer awareness of the need to ascertain proper cooking temperatures. Monitoring food temperatures with a thermometer can help ensure that potentially dangerous pathogens are controlled. Additionally, the thermometer can also ensure that perishable foods are kept at a proper temperature in the refrigerator.

To help feed the backyard barbecue craze, as well as maintain food safety, digital forks appeared on the scene. Programmable and preprogrammed digital forks are available, depending upon what the user desires. The first-generation programmable fork thermometers enabled consumers to set the desired temperature. The second- generation preprogrammed ones came with USDA-recommended temperatures already programmed in, and now the newest versions allow customers to override any preprogrammed temperature.

Candy or fry thermometers, even those used for preparing beverages, all fit into a special-purpose niche, but some old-time thermometers are also gaining in popularity. Among those increasingly popular with home consumers are the refrigerator or freezer versions.

Keeping the refrigerator and freezer at the proper temperatures will not only ensure the freshest possible foods, but also save consumers money in the long run. Refrigerators are cited as the largest single energy user in the home, but do your customers know the proper temperatures for food storage? Do they even know how cold their refrigerator is — beyond the number located on the dial? If the initial temperature is too low, they could be wasting energy. If the temperature is too high, they risk food poisoning and may need to discard spoiled foods. For example, lettuce kept too cold will wilt when it is brought to room temperature.

Oven thermometers break down into two broad categories — those that measure the oven's temperature and those that measure what is being cooked inside the oven. Of the former, consumers are slowly becoming aware that the temperature to which they set their ovens isn't necessarily the temperature those ovens will deliver. Ovens can be recalibrated, however; consumers seeking more accuracy and greater assurance are using oven thermometers.

As for measuring food temperatures in the oven, these thermometers come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of sophistication. From the simple "pop-up" timer most frequently installed in turkeys, to digital timers with temperature probes and coils to reach inside the oven so the user can gauge the temperature of what is being cooked without opening the oven, the necessity of measuring oven temperatures is becoming more and more evident to many consumers.

It's a Timing Issue

As with scales and thermometers, timers fall into mechanical and digital categories. Likewise, there are numerous styles to choose from and they are an item that nearly everyone has in their kitchen.

Fox finds that "timer sales are driven by styling" once again pointing to the tendency of consumers to make purchase decisions based on aesthetics and, particularly in the timer category, where there are hundreds of options.

"The category of timers is not necessarily an exciting one for us," explained Blanchard, "but we cover all the bases from mechanical to digital, whimsical and functional up to the most complicated timer, which has three separate timers on it."

The three most important consumer requests when it comes to timers are: The timer display must be large enough to read at a distance, the ringer needs to be heard outside the kitchen, and it must be easy to set. Manufacturers have answered those demands with larger readouts, louder and longer ringing tones, and easy-to-set features in both mechanical and digital timers.

Because timing is an all-important function in the kitchen, the timer has become integrated into other kitchen tools as a feature. There are scales with timer functions, timers with thermometers, and a version that marries the scale with a cooking thermometer and a timer.

Measure of Success

How much? How long? How hot? Some of the most important questions asked in the kitchen are answered in terms of measurements. One cup. Forty-five minutes. Success in the kitchen need not be an arduous task, especially with all the tools and gadgets available that make measuring easier and more precise.

By taking the extra time necessary to educate your customers about the proper measuring tools, you'll be better able to measure your own success.