Measurement
South Australian Gas Company, Perfection in cooking : simple methods for management of the gas stoves, c. 1920, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2575672117
South Australian Gas Company, Perfection in cooking : simple methods for management of the gas stoves, c. 1920, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2575672117
The Metric System became Australia’s formal measurement system in 1970. It is a decimal system, based on metres, grams, and litres, whereas the system we used previously, the Imperial System, is based on the inch, the ounce and the fluid ounce. Cookery books that were published around this time sometimes had conversion charts included to help people with conversion to the new system.
This one, in Lee’s Priceless Recipes, is of particular interest as it uses Decilitres and Hectolitres as standard units of measurement. These units are practically unused in everyday life today.
William H Lee, N T Oliver & C Van Zandt, Lee's priceless recipes : the standard collection of famous formulas and simple methods (detail), 1912, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2334677540
William H Lee, N T Oliver & C Van Zandt, Lee's priceless recipes : the standard collection of famous formulas and simple methods (detail), 1912, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2334677540
Activity 1
Tables showing the differences between the Imperial and the decimal measuring systems for measuring dry goods.
Show students this table and discuss what units of measurement are more commonly used to measure food and drink.
- Identify the different units used for food and liquid.
- Discuss how different units add up to create other units of measurement, such as grams and kilograms.
Activity 2
Discuss the use of cups and measuring jugs and practice measuring and maybe adding measurements together to make a whole, identify which unit is best used for different types of food.
Henry Berry & Co. (Australasia) Ltd., Catalogue of butchers' machinery and requisites, 1902, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-44417770
Henry Berry & Co. (Australasia) Ltd., Catalogue of butchers' machinery and requisites, 1902, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-44417770
Activity 3
Kitchen scales! Using both digital and analogue scales, practice weighing different items and documenting how much they weigh and in what unit they are measured.
How much is a cup in grams or millilitres?
More to explore
