Glug, Splash, Pinch, Dash: How to Decode Culinary Shorthand

When it comes to liquid measurements, we found that a glug is usually 1-2 tablespoons. “I think of it as enough to slick a skillet with oil ... WhatGlug,Splash,PinchandDashMeaninRecipes|ChristopherKimball’sMilkStreet Skiptomaincontent globe outlook-b ToggleMobileMenu LogIn | SignUp Search LogIn | SignUp Magazine Subscribe GiveaGiftSubscription CustomerSupport AllIssues MagazineIndex Recipes All Mains Sides Desserts Drinks Staples YourFavoriteRecipes TuesdayNights TheNewRules Fast&Slow COOKish Community FriendsofMilkStreet School OnlineSchool LiveClasses VirtualPrivateEvents GiftCards BostonSchool PrivateEvents CommunityOutreach TV Episodes About Cast CompanionCookbook WheretoWatch FindYourStation AmazonPrime YouTube PBSPassport Podcast Episodes About Cast WheretoListen SendUsYourTip Video LiveQ&A Tips&How-Tos RecipeVideos MilkStreetatHome MilkStreetVisits Store ShopAll NewArrivals Sale ByMilkStreet Cookware Equipment Spices+Seasonings Housewares Linens Books Cookbooks AnnualEditions Equipment Knives Cookware Utensils Housewares Aprons+Linens Tabletop Pantry PantryFavorites Spices+Salts TheItalianPantry TheAsianPantry Sweets,Spreads+Syrups TheMiddleEasternPantry GiftCard FAQ/ReturnPolicy Q&A Insider InsiderHome Community FriendsofMilkStreet MilkStreetFaces FacebookGroup CommunityRecipes About Search Joinfor$1 Recipes Podcast School Store Books TV JoinUs Subscribe Login Magazine▾ Subscribe GiveaGiftSubscription CustomerSupport AllIssues MagazineIndex Recipes▾ All▾ Mains Sides Desserts Drinks Staples YourFavoriteRecipes TuesdayNights TheNewRules Fast&Slow COOKish Community FriendsofMilkStreet School▾ OnlineSchool▾ LiveClasses VirtualPrivateEvents GiftCards BostonSchool▾ PrivateEvents CommunityOutreach TV▾ Episodes About Cast CompanionCookbook WheretoWatch▾ FindYourStation AmazonPrime YouTube PBSPassport Podcast▾ Episodes About Cast WheretoListen SendUsYourTip Video▾ LiveQ&A Tips&How-Tos RecipeVideos MilkStreetatHome MilkStreetVisits Store▾ ShopAll▾ NewArrivals Sale ByMilkStreet▾ Cookware Equipment Spices+Seasonings Housewares Linens Books▾ Cookbooks AnnualEditions Equipment▾ Knives Cookware Utensils Housewares▾ Aprons+Linens Tabletop Pantry▾ PantryFavorites Spices+Salts TheItalianPantry TheAsianPantry Sweets,Spreads+Syrups TheMiddleEasternPantry GiftCard FAQ/ReturnPolicy Q&A Insider▾ InsiderHome Community▾ FriendsofMilkStreet MilkStreetFaces FacebookGroup CommunityRecipes About OpenSearch Join!12weeksfor$1 Nutrition,RestaurantsandToad-in-the-Hole WechatwithJamieOliverabouthisyouthandwhatinfluenceshiscooking. MilkStreetChocolateCakes Webaketwochocolatecakes,oneaspecial-occasiondessertandtheotheraquick,one-bowlaffair. CookingSchool Takeacookingclasswithusandourinstructorsfromaroundtheworld. Cookbooks NEW-125simpleweeknightrecipesfromtheworld'shealthiestcuisine. ShoptheStore 1000+hard-to-finditemsfromaroundtheworld. JoinMilkStreet EverythingMilkStreet.12weeksforjust$1.Startyourtrialhere. Apinchofsalt,adashofcinnamon,aglugofsoysauceandasplashofvinegar.Whenoneofthesevaguetermsappearsinarecipe,itcanfeellikeyouneedakeytofigureouthowmuchofaningredientyou’reactuallysupposedtouse.Afterall,wheredoesapinchendandadashbegin?Havesplashesbeenstandardized,orarewesupposedtoguesswhatqualifiesasasmidge?Andwhathappensifyourdrizzleissomeoneelse’sdollop? AcalleronMilkStreetRadiowaswonderingjustthatwhensherecentlycametohostsSaraMoultonandChristopherKimball,perplexedbythissortofculinaryshorthand.Howshouldshedecodetheimprecisemeasurementssheoftenseesinrecipes? KimballrememberedaskingthesamequestionduringaFrenchcookinglesson.“Ialmostgotthrownoutoftheclass!”herecalled.“Iguessbecausenoonewantedtoanswerit.” Standardizedmeasuringtoolsweren’tmanufactureduntilaboutahundredyearsago,Kimballnoted,sobeforethen,allcookingwasdonebyestimates,memoryandintuition. “It’slikeItaliangrandmothers,”Moultonsaid.“Youcanneverreallygetthemtotellyouwhatthey’redoing." Today,however,mostrecipesarewrittentobeastransparentaboutmeasurementsaspossible,Moultonadded.Soifyouneedaheapingtablespoonofcoriander,orshouldmeasureoutahalfcupofcilantroleavesafteryou’vechoppedthem,therecipeshouldexplicitlysayso.Still,weallstillencounterrecipesthatcallforthatpinchordash.Moultonsaidthatasthenamewouldsuggest,apinchreferstowhatyoucanpickupbetweentwofingers.SheandKimballagreedthatadashwouldbelarger.Whenitcomestoliquidmeasurements,wefoundthataglugisusually1-2tablespoons.“Ithinkofitasenoughtoslickaskilletwithoilforsautéing,”foodeditorMattCard,says.Asplash,bycomparisonisabout1/2teaspoon.However,neitherglugnorsplashshouldbecalledforinrecipesthatrequireexactmeasurements.AsKimballputit,“Aglugandasplashisnotgoingtobeformakingspongecake.It’sgoingtobeformakingasouporastew.” Allofthesetermsremainestimateswhenitcomesbartending.You'llfrequentlyseeadashcalledforinacocktailrecipe.Justlikeapinchofsaltincooking,adashforcocktailsismeanttobedonetotaste. Youcanalsogobytime.Aquickshakeforadash.Forasplash,pourfromthebottleandpullbackoncetheliquidstartstoflowout.Andwhenyouhearyourbottlemakeadeep“glug”soundasairgetssuckedbackin,youknowyou’vehityourmark. FormorecookingtipsfromChristopherKimballandSaraMoulton,listentoMilkStreetRadioeachweek.Gotyourownquestions?Call855-4-BOWTIEoremailquestions@milkstreetradio.com JointheconversationonFacebook,Twitter,InstagramandPinterest. BecomeaMember Simple,BoldRecipes Subscribe TheNewMilkStreetCookbook|Order+Save40%! EVERYRECIPEFROMTHEFIRST5SEASONS ClosePopup Getrecipes,tips,andnewsdeliveredtoyourinbox Email Whatareyouinterestedin? FreerecipesfromMilkStreet MilkStreetRadio MilkStreetCookingSchool Promotionsandspecialoffers Submit YouwillalsoreceivespecialoffersfromMilkStreet.Youcanunsubscribefromreceivingouremailsatanytime. × ENTERFORYOURCHANCETOWINTHISMONTH’S MILKSTREETGIVEAWAY DECEMBER2021 MILKSTREETBOOKBUNDLE TuesdayNights,TuesdayNightMediterranean,FastandSlowandCookish $200VALUE Success! Thankyouforparticipatinginourmonthlygiveaway! EntryForm FirstName* LastName*Onlylastinitialwillappearonentry Email* Howweuseyouremail. YouremailaddressisrequiredtoidentifyyourgiveawayentryaswellascommunicationsfromMilkStreet.Wewillnotshareorrentyouremailaddress.Youcanunsubscribefromreceivingouremailsatanytime. PhoneIncaseweneedtocontactyou ContestRules THANKS,YOUAREENTEREDINTHISMONTH’SMILKSTREETGIVEAWAY. YourFirstIssue SpecialOffer TRY12WEEKSOFMILKSTREETINSIDERINCLUDINGPRINT,DIGITAL,FREESTORESHIPPING,PLUSMORE,FORJUST$1 JOINTODAYFOR$1 Nothanks! × EntertheMilkStreetGiveaway ClosePopup Receiveyourfreedigitalissue 12RECIPESTHATWILLCHANGETHEWAYYOUCOOK PlusfreeMilkStreetrecipesdeliveredtoyourinboxeachMondayandaccesstoeveryTVrecipe. YouwillalsoreceivespecialoffersfromMilkStreet.Youcanunsubscribefromreceivingouremailsatanytime. EmailAddress Whatareyouinterestedin? FreerecipesfromMilkStreet MilkStreetRadio MilkStreetCookingSchool Promotionsandspecialoffers Nothanks! Thanks,you’rein!Youwillreceiveaconfirmationemailthatincludesalinktodownloadyourdigitalcopyof12RecipesThatWillChangetheWayYouCook. YourFirstIssue SpecialOffer TRY12WEEKSOFMILKSTREETINSIDERINCLUDINGPRINT,DIGITAL,FREESTORESHIPPING,PLUSMORE,FORJUST$1 JOINTODAYFOR$1 Nothanks! Youhavealreadyjoinedouremaillist! Close&Continue We'rehavingtroublesigningyouuptoournewsletteratthemoment,enjoythisrecipeonus! Close&Continue × ENTERFORYOURCHANCETOWINTHISMONTH’S MILKSTREETGIVEAWAY DECEMBER2021 MILKSTREETBOOKBUNDLE $200VALUE Plus,alsoreceive: FreeMilkStreetrecipesdeliveredtoyourinboxeachMonday FreeAccesstoeveryTVandRadiorecipe YouwillalsoreceivespecialoffersfromMilkStreet.Youcanunsubscribefromreceivingouremailsatanytime. Success! Thankyouforparticipatinginourmonthlygiveaway! EntryForm FirstName* LastName*Onlylastinitialwillappearonentry Email* Howweuseyouremail. YouremailaddressisrequiredtoidentifyyourgiveawayentryaswellascommunicationsfromMilkStreet.Wewillnotshareorrentyouremailaddress.Youcanunsubscribefromreceivingouremailsatanytime. PhoneIncaseweneedtocontactyou NOTHANKS! CONTESTRULES THANKS,YOUAREENTEREDINTHISMONTH’SMILKSTREETGIVEAWAY. YourFirstIssue SpecialOffer TRY12WEEKSOFMILKSTREETINSIDERINCLUDINGPRINT,DIGITAL,FREESTORESHIPPING,PLUSMORE,FORJUST$1 JOINTODAYFOR$1 Nothanks! ClosePopup Tobeginsigningup,pleaseenteryouremail. EmailAddress Howweuseyouremail. Youremailaddressisrequiredtobeginthesubscriptionprocess.WewilluseitforcustomerserviceandothercommunicationsfromMilkStreet.Youcanunsubscribefromreceivingouremailsatanytime.