Measurement precision -- too much

[whiskerbotttle]

I'd like to start by saying that this indeed is a neat site!

Now for my little feedback (with Best Ever Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting as an example):

The metric conversions are really awkward, and it makes the recipes pretty messy. I don't think there's a single soul out there who will be measuring out 354.88 ml of flour or 1.23 ml salt with that precision. It's like reading 1.5813 cups of flour or 0.00013 cups of salt. Cooking is more about a dash of this and a pinch of that, unless you're a scientist on the matter..

Measuring jugs typically has markings for every 100 or 50 ml, so how about rounding off to the nearest 10 ml? Like 350 ml (for 354.88 ml), which is what you'll see in cookbooks? Same with weight in grams. Teaspoons and pinches are seldom given in ml, so I would also suggest to you to keep them as they are. It's common for cookbooks to write 1/2 teaspoon, topped tablespoon, and so forth.

Keep it up!

[Zurie]

Whiskerbottle -- sorry, very late, I so seldom check this forum!!

Living in a metric country, I have pleaded with the Big Ones here to please be sensible about the conversions. No one listened.

I was a food editor when South African changed from Imperial to metric measures and weights. It was hard to start with, and then, as we experimented, we found that rounded-out measures and weights worked beautifully.

I'd advise you to work on this simple scale:

1 ounce = 28 - 30 grams
1/2 lb = 250 grams
1 lb = 500 gram

(There is a slight difference, but it's not important. For example, 1 lb = 450 g. Easier to use 500 g)

1 cup = 250 ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml (sometimes 20 ml if in Australia)
1 teaspoon = 5 ml

Want more? Say so, and I'll post it.

[whiskerbotttle]

Thanks for the reply and tips!

I've managed by rounding off to the nearest reasonable number, but I'll sure take your numbers with me. Leaving visitors to do conversions themselves ain't very inviting, though.. Sounds like the food.com management have got something to learn from you.

Thanks again, Zurie!