Hi all,

I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's at
http://bit.ly/a8gIcv

One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
and what isn't, and any I might have missed.

- G

Geordie wrote on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000:

> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients
> and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are,
> it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv

> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
> any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
> terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
> be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
> comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
> might have missed.

Since we American are in the majority, one might, if one was to be
obnoxious, say standard English cooking terms with translations for
other dialects :-)

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On 5/2/2010 4:13 PM, Geordie Guy wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's at
> http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
> commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
> others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.
>
> - G
For one thing we don't refer to the measurements we use as "Imperial"
but as "American Standard." I think the Canadians still use some
Imperial measurements where a quart is not a quart but a little larger, etc.

We don't spell chili con carne with two l's either, that translates as
chiles with meat. Most Americans call Chiles "peppers." But, that too is
a misnomer, there are different types of chiles and none of them are
pepper but that is the common name here. I think the chilli version came
from India orginally but am not sure.

I agree it would be easier to do the measurements in metric but somehow
we have resisted using the French measuring system that the rest of the
world uses even though our government adopted it a long time ago. They
just have trouble enforcing it, hence automobiles with both metric and
standard size screws, nuts, and bolts.

Ground meat covers a wide variety of grinds of meat, you have to live
here to understand that. Minced meat, in my opinion, is ground way too
fine to enjoy and I used to buy minced meat when I lived in the Middle
EAst. Unfortunately a lot of it there had cinnamon in it, never
understood why.

As to Australian versions of measurements, you just have to speak Strine
to understand it.

Other than that, you were fairly close.

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> Geordie wrote on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000:
>
>> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients
>> and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are,
>> it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
>> any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
>> terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
>> be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
>> comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
>> might have missed.
>
> Since we American are in the majority, one might, if one was to be
> obnoxious, say standard English cooking terms with translations for other
> dialects :-)
>
> --
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
> Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

But India, Australia, the 'English' part of Canada, and the former British
colonies in Africa and the Caribbean speak 'Kings English'...it's only us in
the States who speak 'Merkin'.
-ginny

"George Shirley" > wrote in message
...

> I agree it would be easier to do the measurements in metric but somehow we
> have resisted using the French measuring system that the rest of the world
> uses even though our government adopted it a long time ago. They just have
> trouble enforcing it, hence automobiles with both metric and standard size
> screws, nuts, and bolts.
>
I agree that metric makes a lot more sense mathematically than a random
hodgepodge of fractions (1 quart = 4 cups, 1 cup = 8 ounces, 1 foot = 12
inches, etc.). My dad says, however, that he knows what an inch, or an
ounce, or a cup is, and therefore that is what he teaches to me, and what
parents in general teach to their children.

Even though I think that metric makes more sense mathematically, if I were
to teach someone how to bake, I would probably use cups, tablespoons,
teaspoons and other "standard" measures, because that is what I know.

I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans) don't
really like either the government or the French telling us what measurement
system we are supposed to use.

Brian Christiansen

On May 2, 5:13*pm, Geordie Guy >
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's athttp://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
> commonplace. *That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
> others. *I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.
>
> - G

Did you mean 'rutabaga' and 'bundt' pan? (just ribbin' ya on yer
spelin)

I daresay more 'murikins say chick peas than garbanzos, so maybe
that's not a fair entry.

On 5/2/2010 5:13 PM, Geordie Guy wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's at
> http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
> commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
> others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.

FWIW, in the US "chickpea" is used, as is "garbanzo" and "ceci",
depending on region and ethnicity of the speaker.

Janet wrote on Mon, 3 May 2010 00:29:51 +0100:

>> Geordie wrote on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000:

> >> I've written a blog entry about American names for
> >> ingredients and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world
> >> equivalents are, it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv

> >> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never
> >> heard any of these, instead saying that all the Australian
> >> English terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but
> >> some might be more common than others. I'd be curious for
> >> people's comments about what is commonplace and what isn't,
> >> and any I might have missed.

>> Since we American are in the majority, one might, if one was
>> to be obnoxious, say standard English cooking terms with
>> translations for other dialects :-)

> You may be a majority in rfc, but hardly in Geordie's blog.

> afaik, America is not the majority of English speakers,
> either.

What dialect is the majority dialect? Not British, not Indian, not
Australian!

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

>Geordie wrote on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000:
>
>>I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients
>>and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are,
>>it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
>>One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
>>any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
>>terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
>>be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
>>comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
>>might have missed.
>
>Since we American are in the majority, one might, if one was to be
>obnoxious, say standard English cooking terms with translations for
>other dialects :-)

I believe India has the highest number of English-users.

--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
Journal dsgood.dreamwidth.org (livejournal.com, insanejournal.com)

In article >,
Janet Baraclough > wrote:

> The message >
> from "James Silverton" > contains these words:

> > Since we American are in the majority, one might, if one was to be
> > obnoxious, say standard English cooking terms with translations for
> > other dialects :-)
>
> You may be a majority in rfc, but hardly in Geordie's blog.
> afaik, America is not the majority of English speakers, either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English...l_distribution

As far as English as a first language, out of 375 million, 215 are in
the US.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...peaking_popula
tion

For total English speakers, the US is still on the top, closely followed
by India, and Nigeria is far behind in third.

The US has about a quarter of the English speakers.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

>
>"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
>>Geordie wrote on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000:
>>
>>>I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients
>>>and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are,
>>>it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>>
>>>One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
>>>any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
>>>terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
>>>be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
>>>comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
>>>might have missed.
>>
>>Since we American are in the majority, one might, if one was to be
>>obnoxious, say standard English cooking terms with translations for
>>other dialects :-)
>>
>>--
>>James Silverton
>>Potomac, Maryland
>>
>>Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not
>
>But India, Australia, the 'English' part of Canada, and the former
>British colonies in Africa and the Caribbean speak 'Kings
>English'...it's only us in the States who speak 'Merkin'. -ginny

No. Most Anglophone Canadians speak dialects closely related to
American English. Newfoundlanders speak something which isn't much
like US English; but which is definitely not the Queen's English.

The English-speaking parts of the Caribbean speak dialects not much
like either standard British English or US English.

Australia and New Zealand speak in ways roughly similar to London-area
English; but there's been some divergence.

Indian English? Take a look at the India edition of Google News; the
vocabulary has diverged from the Queen's English.

And in some parts of Canada and New Zealand, as in some parts of the
US, there's the influence of Scots.

--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
Journal dsgood.dreamwidth.org (livejournal.com, insanejournal.com)

Janet wrote on Sun, 2 May 2010 23:51:21 +0100:

>> Hi all,

>> I've written a blog entry about American names for
>> ingredients and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world
>> equivalents are, it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv

>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
>> any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
>> terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
>> be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
>> comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
>> might have missed.

> In England, baking parchment and grease-proof paper, are
> two different products not the same thing..

> Swiss chard is commonly called swiss chard in England too.

I think the blog, were it to cover the different terms used in different
countries, could be very useful. It is not necessary really to fight
about what are the most used words, even if that can be rather
entertaining..

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On May 2, 2:13*pm, Geordie Guy >
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's athttp://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
> commonplace. *That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
> others. *I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.

You left out eggplant/aubergine, and zucchini/marrow.

Brits don't tend to use foreign words for things except for French.

On May 2, 3:32*pm, George Shirley > wrote:

> As to Australian versions of measurements, you just have to speak Strine
> to understand it.
>

Australia notoriously has the four-teaspoon tablespoon.

spamtrap1888 > wrote:

>Australia notoriously has the four-teaspoon tablespoon.

Ouch!

So how far away from Australia do you have to be before
you're back to three-teaspoon tablespoons?

Tonga? Samoa? Japan?

Steve

On May 2, 3:33*pm, "Virginia Tadrzynski" > wrote:

> But India, Australia, the 'English' part of Canada, and the former British
> colonies in Africa and the Caribbean speak 'Kings English'...it's only us in
> the States who speak 'Merkin'.

Bull pucky. Only BBC announcers speak RP. In the UK, "English" changes
every twenty miles or so. Don't try to tell me that Jamaicans and
Tobagoans speak the same as East Anglians.

Despite the .com, the blog is mine and an Australian blog (if such
geographical restraints exist on the net).

I've had plenty of fights over the chard thing, because while chard and
silverbeet are the same thing, the variety you get in the US is usually
different to that grown elsewhere (it frequently has a pink or red stalk).

- G

On 3/05/2010 12:30 PM, James Silverton wrote:
> Janet wrote on Sun, 2 May 2010 23:51:21 +0100:
>
>>> Hi all,
>
>>> I've written a blog entry about American names for
>>> ingredients and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world
>>> equivalents are, it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
>>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
>>> any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
>>> terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
>>> be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
>>> comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
>>> might have missed.
>
>> In England, baking parchment and grease-proof paper, are
>> two different products not the same thing..
>
>> Swiss chard is commonly called swiss chard in England too.
>
> I think the blog, were it to cover the different terms used in different
> countries, could be very useful. It is not necessary really to fight
> about what are the most used words, even if that can be rather
> entertaining..
>

On 3/05/2010 9:38 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> On May 2, 5:13 pm, Geordie Guy >
> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
>> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's athttp://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>>
>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
>> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
>> commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
>> others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
>> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.
>>
>> - G
>
> Did you mean 'rutabaga' and 'bundt' pan? (just ribbin' ya on yer
> spelin)

Thanks, I've fixed it :-)

>
> I daresay more 'murikins say chick peas than garbanzos, so maybe
> that's not a fair entry.

The note on the page is important. More 'murikins say cantaloupe than
musk melons too. It's not meant to show what's prevalent, just what
terms Australians might not have heard mean.

G

On Sun, 02 May 2010 17:32:46 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:

<snip>

>As to Australian versions of measurements, you just have to speak Strine
>to understand it.

Australian versions of measurements?? Quite simply, it's the metric
system.

These days, about the only time we need to use another system is for
cars/machinery that used the old imperial size nut and bolts...
Whitworth etc.

--
Jeßus

May God protect you from his followers.

On Sun, 2 May 2010 16:15:48 -0700, "Brian Christiansen"
> wrote:

<snip>

>I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans) don't
>really like either the government or the French telling us what measurement
>system we are supposed to use.

That's a rather pathetic reason (if indeed it is a reason) not to
change to an easier/better system, isn't it?

--
Jeßus

May God protect you from his followers.

On Sun, 2 May 2010 23:51:21 +0100, Janet Baraclough
> wrote:

<snip>


> Swiss chard is commonly called swiss chard in England too.

In Australia, it's probably most commonly known as Silverbeet, but
also known as Swiss Chard. That said, I noticed in and around Sydney,
it's more commonly called Spinach! Don't ask me why...
--
Jeßus

May God protect you from his followers.

On Sun, 02 May 2010 20:27:19 -0400, "J. Clarke"
> wrote:

>On 5/2/2010 5:13 PM, Geordie Guy wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
>> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's at
>> http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>>
>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
>> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
>> commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
>> others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
>> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.
>
>FWIW, in the US "chickpea" is used, as is "garbanzo" and "ceci",
>depending on region and ethnicity of the speaker.

Chick pea flour in Australia is most commonly known as 'Besan' flour.
Not sure if that's a world-wide thing or not.
--
Jeßus

May God protect you from his followers.

On May 2, 7:51*pm, Janet Baraclough >
wrote:

> * In England, *baking parchment and grease-proof paper, are two
> different products not the same thing..
>
> * *Swiss chard is commonly called swiss chard in England too.
>
> Janet (UK)

In Canada:
Parchment is parchment,
Janet, I'm guessing that grease-proof paper is what we call waxed
paper.

Swiss chard is also called Swiss chard

Rutabagas are called rutabagas in some areas and turnips in the
Atlantic provinces. In the areas where they are called rutabagas you
often find turnips but you hardly ever see turnips in the areas where
rutabagas are called turnips. ;o) As for 'swedes', I've only ever
seen that in the dictionary.

Tomato sauce and tomato paste are two very different products.

On May 3, 2:53*am, Geordie Guy >
wrote:

> I've had plenty of fights over the chard thing, because while chard and
> silverbeet are the same thing, the variety you get in the US is usually
> different to that grown elsewhere (it frequently has a pink or red stalk)..
>
> - G
I'm familiar with Swiss chard that looks somewhat like spinach and
'rhubarb chard' that looks like beet leaves.

On May 3, 5:27*am, Jeßus > wrote:

> Chick pea flour in Australia is most commonly known as 'Besan' flour.
> Not sure if that's a world-wide thing or not.
> --
> Jeßus

My first introduction to chick pea flour was to 'gram flour'. I
thought they were saying 'graham flour' which was a product my mom
would add to bread but it looked nothing like that product which is a
type of whole wheat flour. It took a while to sort out the mistake.

On Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000, Geordie Guy wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's at
> http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>
> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
> commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
> others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.

You're implying that we here in the US have changed the names so as
to be incompatible with the "rest of the English speaking world",
when it's the other way around.

Tomato sauce, topmato puree, and tomato paste are all three
different forms of processed tomato used here in the US.

"Green Onions" are more common than Scallion, and Spring Onion is
not a scallion or green onion.

Brown Mix? Does not compute. If you mean gravy mix, then we don't
rely on those things as much as your Gravox.

"All Purpose Flour" and "Plain Flour" is getting a little picky.
In English, they mean the same thing. What English are you
speaking?

-sw

"Jeßus" > wrote in message
...
> That's a rather pathetic reason (if indeed it is a reason) not to
> change to an easier/better system, isn't it?
>
Metric makes more matematical "sense" than conventional measurement, and it
is perhaps easier for most people to use decimals rather than fractions
(decimals are just "easier" fractions, they are still fractions). However,
I don't cook because it makes "mathematical" sense, I cook/bake because I
enjoy the process and the finished product.

The government/French or anyone else telling me how I am supposed to measure
stuff because it is "better" takes the enjoyment out of it.

Brian Christiansen

On 3/05/2010 6:16 PM, Jeßus wrote:
> On Sun, 02 May 2010 17:32:46 -0500, George Shirley
> > wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> As to Australian versions of measurements, you just have to speak Strine
>> to understand it.
>
> Australian versions of measurements?? Quite simply, it's the metric
> system.

> These days, about the only time we need to use another system is for
> cars/machinery that used the old imperial size nut and bolts...
> Whitworth etc.

Can't agree.
I'm 29, and nobody I know 10 years younger through to 40 years older,
measures the height of a person in centimeters or meters, it's always
feet and inches.

I have no idea how far 20 feet is along the ground, but I know I'm "six
two". In every other circumstance it's metric. I'm 6'2" and 85 kilos,
and I have no idea what height I am in centimeters, or my weight in
pounds (about 160 wouldn't it be? you double it-ish)

>
> --
> Jeßus
>
> May God protect you from his followers.

On 3/05/2010 6:51 PM, Gabby wrote:
> On May 2, 7:51 pm, Janet Baraclough >
> wrote:
>
>> In England, baking parchment and grease-proof paper, are two
>> different products not the same thing..
>>
>> Swiss chard is commonly called swiss chard in England too.
>>
>> Janet (UK)
>
> In Canada:
> Parchment is parchment,
> Janet, I'm guessing that grease-proof paper is what we call waxed
> paper.
>
> Swiss chard is also called Swiss chard
>
> Rutabagas are called rutabagas in some areas and turnips in the
> Atlantic provinces. In the areas where they are called rutabagas you
> often find turnips but you hardly ever see turnips in the areas where
> rutabagas are called turnips. ;o) As for 'swedes', I've only ever
> seen that in the dictionary.

Swedes and turnips are different. Swedes are yellow with a purple
"corona" and ball shaped. Turnips are white, and the same shape as
carrots - right?

>
> Tomato sauce and tomato paste are two very different products.
>

On 3/05/2010 7:00 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Mon, 03 May 2010 07:13:35 +1000, Geordie Guy wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I've written a blog entry about American names for ingredients and what
>> their rest-of-English-speaking-world equivalents are, it's at
>> http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>>
>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard any of
>> these, instead saying that all the Australian English terms were
>> commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might be more common than
>> others. I'd be curious for people's comments about what is commonplace
>> and what isn't, and any I might have missed.
>
> You're implying that we here in the US have changed the names so as
> to be incompatible with the "rest of the English speaking world",
> when it's the other way around.

....

No I'm not.

>
> Tomato sauce, topmato puree, and tomato paste are all three
> different forms of processed tomato used here in the US.

Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. It depends on the area of
the US, and apparently what phase the moon is in.

>
> "Green Onions" are more common than Scallion, and Spring Onion is
> not a scallion or green onion.

I make it clear in the post that some of them are uncommon or even
archaic, but they DO get used in (particularly older) US cookbooks and
it's useful for Australians to know.

>
> Brown Mix? Does not compute. If you mean gravy mix, then we don't
> rely on those things as much as your Gravox.

I've never used Gravox in my life, again, it may be archaic, but I've
got cookbooks that use the term.

>
> "All Purpose Flour" and "Plain Flour" is getting a little picky.

No, not really. You won't ever, ever, find a single packet of flour in
Australia with "all purpose flour" written on it, it's always plain
flour, and we use self raising flour more than is common elsewhere. So
"all purpose flour" is almost as likely to mean one as the other.

> In English, they mean the same thing. What English are you
> speaking?

They do mean the same thing, but that's not the point. One is used in
the US a lot, and Australians would be unlikely to know on face value
whether it means one highly common form of flour, or another.

>
> -sw

In article >,
Jeßus > wrote:

> On Sun, 2 May 2010 16:15:48 -0700, "Brian Christiansen"
> > wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> >I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans) don't
> >really like either the government or the French telling us what measurement
> >system we are supposed to use.
>
> That's a rather pathetic reason (if indeed it is a reason) not to
> change to an easier/better system, isn't it?
>
> --
> Jeßus
>
> May God protect you from his followers.

The Metric system is used universally in the health care and science
fields. Always. I like metrics better as it's much easier to convert
numbers by 10's. :-) I do wish we would switch over to it completely!
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

"Brian Christiansen" ha scritto nel messaggio

> I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans)
> don't > really like either the government or the French telling us what
> measurement > system we are supposed to use.

Lame excuse. Who do you think established what you think of as American
standard measures? They actually have the original certified measures in
Washington DC. I was in university and just out of it when we were supposed
to be changing to netric. What a joke! Americans were too lazy to bother
and the government had plenty of problems and didn't push the issue. I got
a couple of jobs/projects because I was one of the very few designers who
could produce work in metric and annotated in more than one language.

Saying that US folks resist because they don't want to be told what to do is
facile and egocentric. Everyone else changed, we couldn't or wouldn't and I
listened to all the excuses. Quietly most of US industry did change over
because otherwise they couldn't sell their products.

In the kitchen, students are blown away with how much cleaner metric is,
because you can put a bowl on the scale, tare it, then add, tare, add, tare
etc. until done. You don't have to wash up a bunch of greasy or otherwise
soiled cups, etc. Right now there are still recipes calling for ml of this
ior that, but gradually even liquids are being expressed in grams.

"James Silverton" > ha scritto nel messaggio
news:hrlch2$pe3

> I think the blog, were it to cover the different terms used in different >
> countries, could be very useful. It is not necessary really to fight >
> about what are the most used words, even if that can be rather >
> entertaining..

Dukes up, James! I appear to be the only one who left a comment with my
version of what US things are really called. It's all very well to say
greaseproof paper is waxed paper here, but he needs the skinny on his blog!
Get in there and help out. It's your patriotic duty.

"Geordie Guy" ha scritto nel messaggio
Sqwertz wrote:


>> Tomato sauce, topmato puree, and tomato paste are all three>> different
>> forms of processed tomato used here in the US.
>
> Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. It depends on the area of> the
> US, and apparently what phase the moon is in.

No, that's not true. The FDA has rules on what must be in there to be
called this or that. If you make it differently, you are forced to call it
"imitation" or whatever even if your product is btter and more like
homemade. Mayonnaise and ice cream are two notable examples.

>> "Green Onions" are more common than Scallion, and Spring Onion is>> not a
>> scallion or green onion.
>
> I make it clear in the post that some of them are uncommon or even>
> archaic, but they DO get used in (particularly older) US cookbooks and>
> it's useful for Australians to know.
>
>>
>> Brown Mix? Does not compute. If you mean gravy mix, then we don't
>> rely on those things as much as your Gravox.
>
> I've never used Gravox in my life, again, it may be archaic, but I've
> got cookbooks that use the term.

I have USA cookbooks dating back to 1899 and have never seen the term brown
mix.

>> "All Purpose Flour" and "Plain Flour" is getting a little picky.
>
> No, not really. You won't ever, ever, find a single packet of flour in>
> Australia with "all purpose flour" written on it, it's always plain>
> flour, and we use self raising flour more than is common elsewhere. So
> "all purpose flour" is almost as likely to mean one as the other.

OTH, in Italy I have to mix flours to get all purpose flour results. It's
very fine, has more gluten than our 0 or 00, but lots less than our
Manitoba. Protein percentages would be a useful addition to all flour
labels, IMO. I have had to make marginally ok batches over and over to find
what mixture works to replace the ubiquitous all-purpose.

In article >,
"Giusi" > wrote:

> "Brian Christiansen" ha scritto nel messaggio
>
> > I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans)
> > don't > really like either the government or the French telling us what
> > measurement > system we are supposed to use.
>
> Lame excuse. Who do you think established what you think of as American
> standard measures? They actually have the original certified measures in
> Washington DC. I was in university and just out of it when we were supposed
> to be changing to netric. What a joke! Americans were too lazy to bother
> and the government had plenty of problems and didn't push the issue. I got
> a couple of jobs/projects because I was one of the very few designers who
> could produce work in metric and annotated in more than one language.
>
> Saying that US folks resist because they don't want to be told what to do is
> facile and egocentric. Everyone else changed, we couldn't or wouldn't and I
> listened to all the excuses. Quietly most of US industry did change over
> because otherwise they couldn't sell their products.
>
> In the kitchen, students are blown away with how much cleaner metric is,
> because you can put a bowl on the scale, tare it, then add, tare, add, tare
> etc. until done. You don't have to wash up a bunch of greasy or otherwise
> soiled cups, etc. Right now there are still recipes calling for ml of this
> ior that, but gradually even liquids are being expressed in grams.

What I especially like about Metrics is the liquid to solid to weight
conversion. 1cc = 1ml = 1gram of liquid. QED!
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

Brian Christiansen wrote:

> Metric makes more matematical "sense" than conventional measurement,
> and it is perhaps easier for most people to use decimals rather than
> fractions (decimals are just "easier" fractions, they are still
> fractions). However, I don't cook because it makes "mathematical"
> sense, I cook/bake because I enjoy the process and the finished
> product.
> The government/French or anyone else telling me how I am supposed to
> measure stuff because it is "better" takes the enjoyment out of it.

Metric measurements do have that chemistry lab look to them. On
top of that, you don't see many American recipes calling for 240 of
anything, and 1/2 cup is more descriptive to me, anyway.

I don't know why it bothers anyone, there is enough software to convert
recipes if people don't like it. Other than that, it seems we *like*
imperial
measurements and so be it.

nancy

On 5/3/2010 5:08 AM, Omelet wrote:
> In >,
> > wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 2 May 2010 16:15:48 -0700, "Brian Christiansen"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>>> I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans) don't
>>> really like either the government or the French telling us what measurement
>>> system we are supposed to use.
>>
>> That's a rather pathetic reason (if indeed it is a reason) not to
>> change to an easier/better system, isn't it?
>>
>> --
>> Jeßus
>>
>> May God protect you from his followers.
>
> The Metric system is used universally in the health care and science
> fields. Always. I like metrics better as it's much easier to convert
> numbers by 10's. :-) I do wish we would switch over to it completely!

Join the US military, they've been using metric since the early sixties
to my knowledge. I can do both but prefer feet and inches even if it is
hard to multiply and divide fractions. <G>

On 5/3/2010 7:13 AM, The Cook wrote:
> On Mon, 03 May 2010 15:53:54 +1000, Geordie Guy
> > wrote:
>
>
>> On 3/05/2010 12:30 PM, James Silverton wrote:
>>> Janet wrote on Sun, 2 May 2010 23:51:21 +0100:
>>>
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>>>> I've written a blog entry about American names for
>>>>> ingredients and what their rest-of-English-speaking-world
>>>>> equivalents are, it's at http://bit.ly/a8gIcv
>>>
>>>>> One American friend expressed surprise that she'd never heard
>>>>> any of these, instead saying that all the Australian English
>>>>> terms were commonplace. That's not accurate, but some might
>>>>> be more common than others. I'd be curious for people's
>>>>> comments about what is commonplace and what isn't, and any I
>>>>> might have missed.
>>>
>>>> In England, baking parchment and grease-proof paper, are
>>>> two different products not the same thing..
>>>
>>>> Swiss chard is commonly called swiss chard in England too.
>>>
>>> I think the blog, were it to cover the different terms used in different
>>> countries, could be very useful. It is not necessary really to fight
>>> about what are the most used words, even if that can be rather
>>> entertaining..
>>>
>> Despite the .com, the blog is mine and an Australian blog (if such
>> geographical restraints exist on the net).
>>
>> I've had plenty of fights over the chard thing, because while chard and
>> silverbeet are the same thing, the variety you get in the US is usually
>> different to that grown elsewhere (it frequently has a pink or red stalk).
>>
>> - G
>>
> I am in the US and grow Swiss Chard. Right now I have a row with
> white, gold and red stems. Seeds came from a pack labeled Rainbow
> chard.

I have a row of that and another of Fordhook, just a great big green
leaf with a white stalk. Then there's the crinkled variety and the other
colors. Have seen all but black, guess no one has developed black chard
yet. I prefer chard to all the other types of greens.

On 5/3/2010 4:19 AM, Jeßus wrote:
> On Sun, 2 May 2010 16:15:48 -0700, "Brian Christiansen"
> > wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> I also think that it is partially due to the fact that we (Americans) don't
>> really like either the government or the French telling us what measurement
>> system we are supposed to use.
>
> That's a rather pathetic reason (if indeed it is a reason) not to
> change to an easier/better system, isn't it?

It's only "easier" if you're dividing a recipe by 10. Personally I
prefer the binary nature of the English units.

Okay, here's a URL of a site that will convert most, if not all, world
wide measures into whatever you want.

http://www.convert-me.com/en/

Please note that there is a distinct difference between US Standard and
British Imperial.