Imperial Weights and Measures

As we have got our independence back, we should also remember our Imperial weights and measures. 

Imperial Weights

1 lb [pound] = 16 oz [ounces]
14 lb = 1 st [stone]
1 hundredweight [cwt] = 8 sts = 112 lbs


2 stones = 1 quarter
4 quarters = 1 hundredweight

20 hundredweights = 1 ton [NOT tonne and 1 tonne = 1000 kg]

Of course the only weights we use in cooking and baking are pounds and ounces - but I thought I remind you about the others as well, in case you have forgotten about stone, quarter, hundredweight and ton.

Other useful weights to remember:

1 stick of butter = 0.5 cup = 4 oz = 113 grams
200 grams = 7 oz
1 lb = 453.592 grams

In the Far East and East Asia, they also use "catty"

1 catty 斤 = 16 taels 兩
1 catty = 20 ozs

However, in China one catty is rounded to 500 grams and in Taiwan, it is rounded to 600 grams.

In general, I normally weigh ingredients instead of using volume measures. However, for the fatless sponge cake, Misia uses cup sizes and thus you will notice the 2/3 cup of flour.  

However, most of us use volume to measure liquid for cooking.

Here are some useful measures to remember.

1 cup = 8 fluid ounces [fl oz] - size of traditional English china tea cup 
1 cup = 16 tablespoons [tbsp] 
1 tbsp = 3 teaspoons [tsp]

1 pint = 16 fl oz = 2 cups 

1 gallon = 8 pints 
1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 quart = 2 pints

1 litre = 1.75975 pints
1 pint = 568.261 ml
1 gallon = 4.54609 litre 

Distance

12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
1760 yards = 1 mile

1 inch = 2.54 cm
3.28 feet = 1 meter
1.61 Km = 1 mile

However, we just have to think about inches when we are cooking or baking.

4 inches roughly equal to 10 cm
6 inches roughly equal to 15 cm
8 inches roughly equal to 20 cm
10 inches roughly equal to 25 cm
12 inches roughly equal to 30 cm

And finally, you should have noticed our eggs are sold in 6 or 12 - this is because 

12 items makes a dozen
and there are 20 in a score
1 gross = 12 dozen = 144 

I hope you find the above useful in reclaiming our heritage!