WEEK TEN
TOPIC: STANDARD AND LOCAL MEASURING EQUIPMENT
CONTENT
- Meaning of measuring Equipment
- Measuring Equipment and their uses
- Conversion methods
MEASURING EQUIPMENT/ TOOLS
Measuring equipment are those materials used in determining quantities of food items. They are essential in catering. The use of measuring equipment enable a caterer to ensure consistency, recipe balance, quality requirements, accurate seasoning and other required measurements on which catering is based.
| STANDARD TOOLS | LOCAL TOOLS |
| Manual kitchen scale Liquid measuring cups Measuring spoons Digital food scales Electronic kitchen scales Ladles, etc. | Tins e.g. milk tins, tomato tins Kongo Plastic paint buckets Palm Soup plates Soup spoons, etc |
MEASURING EQUIPMENT AND THEIR USES
1. TOOLS FOR WEIGHING: Scales are used to weigh dry or solid ingredients. There are two types of scales:
a) Balance scale: It comes with weights. The correct weight of the food item is obtained when the food on the scale pan balances the weight on the other side so that both sides are level.
b) Spring scale: The correct weight is obtained when an indicator needle is pointing to the required weight on the dial. The indicator needle must be on zero before one begins to weigh.
2. MEASURING CUPS: They are for measuring liquids or dry ingredients. To obtain a correct measurement of liquid, the cup must be placed on a flat surface and reading taking at eye level. For dry ingredients, level off the ingredients before taking the reading.
3. MEASURING SPOONS: They come in different sizes and are used for measuring liquids and dry ingredients.
EVALUATION
1. What are measuring equipment?
2. List types of measuring equipment and their uses.
CONVERSION METHODS
| LOCAL | STANDARD (METRIC) |
| Liquid ½ teaspoon (tsp) 1 teaspoon (tsp) ½ tablespoon (tbsp) 1 tablespoon (tbsp.) 1 cup (milk tin) ½ cup With measuring jug/cup: 1 litre ½ litre 4.5 litres 1 beer bottle |
2.5ml 5ml 7.5ml 15ml (60 drops) 150ml (16 tbsp) 75ml 1000ml |
| Dry/Solid 1 heaped tablespoon of flour, cocoa or custard powder 1 level tablespoon of rice, sugar or salt 1 heaped tbsp. of rice, sugar or salt 2 heaped tbsp. of bread crumbs ½ derica cup 1 big derica cup 1 large egg |
25g 25g 30g 25g 400g 850g 50g |
GENERAL EVALUATION QUESTIONS
1. List five local measuring items and the equivalent standard conversion.
2. List and explain two types of weighing scales.
3. State three factors to consider when selecting cooking methods.
4. List and explain five types of milk.
5. State four uses of eggs in cookery.
READING ASSIGNMENT
Standard and Local measuring Equipment:
Catering Craft Practice for SSS 1-3 by Aminu S. N. Bariki. Pages 147 & 148.
Basic Catering for SSS 1-3 by Omotayo and Olorunda. Pages 105-107.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- By conversion, milk tin is equivalent to ____. A. 200ml B. 150ml C. 100ml D. 50ml
- 1 tsp of water is equal to ____. A. 1ml B. 3ml C. 5ml D. 7ml
- The approximate weight of a large egg is ____. A. 50g B. 25g C. 60g D. 30g
- A measuring cup can be used to measure ____. A. solid ingredients only B. liquid ingredients only C. both solid and liquid ingredients D. None of the above
- Measuring equipment are used in the ____. A. kitchen B. toilet C. party D. bedroom.
THEORY
1. Write three each of local and standard tools.
2. Differentiate between balance scale and spring scale.