Archive for: measuring spoons
Owls seem to be a hot design element right now, and I’ve seen everything from owl prints and accent pillows in stores to owl cookie jars. Most of the designs are cute enough to make you say “aww” and wish that you had some spare room in your kitchen to fit something in, but a big cookie jar can be difficult to find counter space for. When I saw these adorable Owl Measuring Spoons and the matching Owl Measuring Cup Set, it seemed like the perfect solution for following the trend with something that is easy to find storage room for. Both sets are made of earthenware and have a high gloss glaze with vibrant colors. The owls themselves are cute, with big eyes that draw you in. The heads of the owls on both the spoons and the cups act as handles, so these are easy to hold on to as you use them. They’re also dishwasher safe, so they’re easy to care for after you use them.
Sets like these are definitely fun to have around, even if you just use them as decorative pieces and only work with them some of the time as actual kitchen equipment (though they are accurate and sturdy, so there is no reason not to put them to work). They also make fun gifts. The cups and spoons are both almost irresistibly cute, but if I had to pick just on, I would say that there is something about the tiny measuring spoons that really wins people over. They’re small enough that they can be a nice accent for a larger gift or a stocking stuffer during the holidays, too.
You don’t always have to measure ingredients when cooking like you do when you’re baking. You can get away with adding a big pinch of oregano to a recipe or “eyeballing” a tablespoon or so of ground cumin when making chili. But it is nice to know exactly how much you’re adding to a recipe, especially if you get a good result and want to reproduce it the next time, or if a dish doesn’t turn out and you don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I know that die-hard “eyeballers” don’t always want to pull out measuring spoons and cups just to make a pasta sauce, but there is at least one gadget that can streamline the process.
The Portion Cooking Spoon is an all-in-one cooking tool that allows you to mix, stir and measure both wet and dry ingredients all in one gadget. It is definitely not a unitasker! The bottom of the spoon is made of heat-resistant silicone and has easy to use measurements for 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon and 2 tablespoons. It eliminates the need to pull out a set of measuring spoons when cooking, but also allows you to get your spices and other additions measured a lot more accurately than “eyeballing” does. The handle of the spoon is hollow and can measure liquids up to 1/4 cup in volume. It is ideal for measuring a quick splash of olive oil, wine, cream or other common cooking liquids. The plastic handle also detaches from the base of the spoon for easier cleaning, too.
A measuring spoon set is a multi-function kitchen tool, allowing you to measure all kinds of different things when you are cooking or baking. The spoons may all work the same way, but anyone who has used a set knows that the fact that multiple measurements are offered is what makes a set so handy. Once you’ve viewed your spoons as a multi-purpose tool, it’s not hard to see how designers came up with these Swiss Measuring Spoons. They’re basic measuring spoons – 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp and 1 tbsp – set into a faux Swiss Army Knife case. This also makes a terrific gift for guys who bake (or cook, of course), simply because of the slightly masculine Swiss Army knife look. I’ve probably given out the multi-tools dozens of times as gifts over the years and like the fact that this one is kitchen specific.
Now, this funky set is made of plastic and, while it is sturdy, it isn’t going to be as durable as a metal set if you’re in the market for something that you can use for years to come. But it is a lot of fun to look at, to show off and to use – and since it doesn’t take up much room because of the way that the spoons fold up, you can tuck it into a drawer without displacing any other measuring spoon sets you might already have in there.
Most measuring spoon sets come with round spoons. This design isn’t a problem most of the time, but I’ll run into a problem with it from time to time because those rounded spoons won’t fit into some of my smaller jars. This happens with spices, especially with those stored in smaller jars, and even with some sugars that I keep in small containers, such as vanilla sugar or lemon sugar. The large spoons just don’t fit into the mouths of those jars and, frankly, it would be nice not to have to resort to only using the 1/4 teaspoon measure to get those spices out. One solution is to switch to measuring spoons that have a more streamlined design that will allow them to fit inside of spice jars and other narrow spices, like this Endurance Spice Measuring Spoon Set. The set includes 1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp , 3/4 tsp, 1 tsp and 1 tbsp measures, all with a long, narrow design. For the smallest measurements the design may not make a difference, but it is a pleasure being able to fit that tablespoon measurement into a jar with no-fuss. Many people will also find the addition of the 3/4 tsp measure, which is not found in most basic measuring sets, comes in handy more often than you’d think (I find that gingerbreads and other spice-heavy recipes often call for 3/4 tsp measures).
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and these diamond ring measuring spoons are a baking girl’s best friend – or, at least, a more affordable way to bring a few new diamonds into your life. The spoon set is actually called Will You Measure Me and they do make a cute gift if you want to propose to someone special that you want to do some baking with them. The plastic spoons are shaped like blingy diamond rings, and you measure with the hollowed-out diamonds. Like standard measuring spoons, this set includes 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tbsp and 1 tbsp measures. The small spoons are easy to maneuver into small canisters to scoop out things like baking soda and ground spices.
At the end of the day, though, they’re just a fun little gadget to have around the kitchen and a lot more interesting than just another set of small metal spoons!
