Measurements

We use many different measurements in cooking -- teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, ounces, and pounds to name just a few.

Teaspoons and tablespoons are known by their common name because the measurements align with the serving implement -- a teaspoon is 5 ml and the spoon we use in tea service is 5 ml. The tablespoon (large spoon) is 15 ml and the measuring tool is also 15 ml.

The word ounce ultimately comes from the Latin word uncia, meaning "one-twelfth." (This is also where we get the word inch.) In Italian, this became onzo, which is where we get both the word ounce and its abbreviation,oz.

"But," you say, "there are 16 ounces in a pound, not 12!" It's true that in the international avoirdupois system, 1 pound equals 16 ounces, but this wasn't always the case.

In ancient Rome, a pound (libra in Latin, which is where the abbreviation lb. comes from) was about 12 ounces. Even today, jewels and precious metals are measured in troy ounces (which are heavier than avoirdupois ounces), and there are 12 troy ounces in a troy pound(which is lighter than an avoirdupois pound).

Below, you will see a chart of the various measurements and their conversions. These conversions are essential to cooking.