Historical American measurements are not directly comparable to modern measurements. This list is taken from a 1909 text, Served in Sayville, reprinted in the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink:
- 4 even saltspoons = 1 teaspoon
- 4 teaspoonfuls = 1 tablespoon
- 4 teaspoonfuls = 1 wine glass, or 1/4 cup
- 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup, or 1/2 gill
- 2 gills or 1 cup = 1/2 pint
- 4 gills or 2 cups = 1 pint
- 2 pints = 1 quart
- 4 quarts = 1 gallon
- 1 even tablespoon of butter or lard = 1 ounce
- 1 heaping tablespoon of butter or lard = 2 ounces
- butter the size of a walnut = 1 ounce
- butter the size of an egg = 2 ounces
- 1 even cupful of butter = 1/2 pound
- 1 pint of liquid = 1 pound
- 1 pint finely chopped meat = 1 poound
- 1 cupful raisins (stemmed) = 6 ounces
- 5 nutmegs = 1 ounce
- 1 teaspoon (heaping) ground spice = 1/4 ounce
- 2 teaspoons (rounded) mustard = 1/4 ounce
The standard cup in all cooking recipes is the ordinary kitchen cup, which is larger than a teacup, but not so large as a breakfast cup. It holds exactly half a pint.