Wild Yeast

Notes from my kitchen, in which I bake bread and raise a few other matters

Weights and Measures

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If you know me at all, you’ll know I am big fan of the scale over the measuring cup. Sometimes, though, for whatever reason, you need to know the weight-volume equivalent for a particular ingredient.

The best one-stop resource I’ve found for this information is the searchable USDA Nutrient Database. It contains more foods than you knew existed, and it gives the gram weight of a standard volume or unit (e.g., a cup of nuts or a whole large egg).

USDA database screenshot

Of course, you can also get all kinds of data on the nutrient content of each food. Then again, you might rather not know that that cup (135 g) of pine nuts is going to set you back about 900 calories.

USDA database screenshot - pine nuts info

CommentsLeave a comment

  1. I agree that the USDA database is a great tool, but I’ve found that it has a bit of a learning curve. You sometimes have to search a few times before you hit on what you are looking for. Once you learn how it “thinks,” though, it’s a nifty kitchen companion.

  3. It’s not the 900 calories that are gonna ‘kill’ me, it’s the $14.95 a pound that’s gonna do me in. 🙁
    😉

  5. I really appreciate this post! I just bought a scale for macaron making, dreading every minute of using it. After a week of using the scale- I love it and can’t imagine anyone baking without it. It is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen and it gives me a sense of confidence in my baking.

  6. I’ve resorted to an online cooking conversions calculator but this resource is probably a better way to go. I’m still loving the scale when I can use it though!
    (Margie: good call with the $14.95/lb for pine nuts)

  7. thanks for the tip!!
    I didn’t know this resource. I always use gourmetsleuth.com : very simple, accurate and also a lot of foods and ingredients!

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