The tablespoon, a common culinary unit, has a fascinating history and diverse applications beyond cooking. Originating from the Middle Ages, tablespoons were initially crafted from wood or horn and varied significantly in size based on regional preferences and the cook’s discretion. Today, the US tablespoon is standardized to 15 milliliters, while in Australia, it measures 20 milliliters. This discrepancy can result in culinary conundrums, especially in international recipes.
Beyond the kitchen, the tablespoon is often used in pharmaceuticals to measure liquid medicine doses and in the sciences for informal yet practical measurements. Fun fact: a tablespoon of water weighs about half an ounce, which can be a neat trick to estimate small weights without a scale.
The “kaffekopp” is a traditional Swedish unit of measurement often used in recipes and day-to-day life for measuring volume, particularly liquids like coffee. Equivalent to approximately 1.5 deciliters or about 5 fluid ounces, it offers a convenient, practical standard for home cooks who may not have an exact measuring cup on hand. Interestingly, this unit reflects the cultural importance of coffee in Swedish society, where “fika,” a coffee break combined with pastries, is a cherished daily ritual, fostering community and relaxation.
Unlike more rigidly defined units, the kaffekopp showcases the adaptability of cultural measurements to meet the needs of everyday life. Its use underscores a fascinating intersection between language, culture, and the ordinary routines that shape our lives.
| Tablespoons | Kaffekoppar |
|---|---|
0
Tbs
|
0
kkp
|
1
Tbs
|
0.0985784
kkp
|
2
Tbs
|
0.197157
kkp
|
3
Tbs
|
0.295735
kkp
|
4
Tbs
|
0.394314
kkp
|
5
Tbs
|
0.492892
kkp
|
6
Tbs
|
0.591471
kkp
|
7
Tbs
|
0.690049
kkp
|
8
Tbs
|
0.788627
kkp
|
9
Tbs
|
0.887206
kkp
|
10
Tbs
|
0.985784
kkp
|
11
Tbs
|
1.08436
kkp
|
12
Tbs
|
1.18294
kkp
|
13
Tbs
|
1.28152
kkp
|
14
Tbs
|
1.3801
kkp
|
15
Tbs
|
1.47868
kkp
|
16
Tbs
|
1.57725
kkp
|
17
Tbs
|
1.67583
kkp
|
18
Tbs
|
1.77441
kkp
|
19
Tbs
|
1.87299
kkp
|
20
Tbs
|
1.97157
kkp
|
21
Tbs
|
2.07015
kkp
|
22
Tbs
|
2.16873
kkp
|
23
Tbs
|
2.2673
kkp
|
24
Tbs
|
2.36588
kkp
|
25
Tbs
|
2.46446
kkp
|
26
Tbs
|
2.56304
kkp
|
27
Tbs
|
2.66162
kkp
|
28
Tbs
|
2.7602
kkp
|
29
Tbs
|
2.85877
kkp
|
30
Tbs
|
2.95735
kkp
|
31
Tbs
|
3.05593
kkp
|
32
Tbs
|
3.15451
kkp
|
33
Tbs
|
3.25309
kkp
|
34
Tbs
|
3.35167
kkp
|
35
Tbs
|
3.45025
kkp
|
36
Tbs
|
3.54882
kkp
|
37
Tbs
|
3.6474
kkp
|
38
Tbs
|
3.74598
kkp
|
39
Tbs
|
3.84456
kkp
|
40
Tbs
|
3.94314
kkp
|
41
Tbs
|
4.04172
kkp
|
42
Tbs
|
4.14029
kkp
|
43
Tbs
|
4.23887
kkp
|
44
Tbs
|
4.33745
kkp
|
45
Tbs
|
4.43603
kkp
|
46
Tbs
|
4.53461
kkp
|
47
Tbs
|
4.63319
kkp
|
48
Tbs
|
4.73176
kkp
|
49
Tbs
|
4.83034
kkp
|
50
Tbs
|
4.92892
kkp
|
51
Tbs
|
5.0275
kkp
|
52
Tbs
|
5.12608
kkp
|
53
Tbs
|
5.22466
kkp
|
54
Tbs
|
5.32324
kkp
|
55
Tbs
|
5.42181
kkp
|
56
Tbs
|
5.52039
kkp
|
57
Tbs
|
5.61897
kkp
|
58
Tbs
|
5.71755
kkp
|
59
Tbs
|
5.81613
kkp
|
60
Tbs
|
5.91471
kkp
|
61
Tbs
|
6.01328
kkp
|
62
Tbs
|
6.11186
kkp
|
63
Tbs
|
6.21044
kkp
|
64
Tbs
|
6.30902
kkp
|
65
Tbs
|
6.4076
kkp
|
66
Tbs
|
6.50618
kkp
|
67
Tbs
|
6.60475
kkp
|
68
Tbs
|
6.70333
kkp
|
69
Tbs
|
6.80191
kkp
|
70
Tbs
|
6.90049
kkp
|
71
Tbs
|
7
kkp
|
72
Tbs
|
7.09765
kkp
|
73
Tbs
|
7.19623
kkp
|
74
Tbs
|
7.2948
kkp
|
75
Tbs
|
7.39338
kkp
|
76
Tbs
|
7.49196
kkp
|
77
Tbs
|
7.59054
kkp
|
78
Tbs
|
7.68912
kkp
|
79
Tbs
|
7.7877
kkp
|
80
Tbs
|
7.88627
kkp
|
81
Tbs
|
7.98485
kkp
|
82
Tbs
|
8.08343
kkp
|
83
Tbs
|
8.18201
kkp
|
84
Tbs
|
8.28059
kkp
|
85
Tbs
|
8.37917
kkp
|
86
Tbs
|
8.47775
kkp
|
87
Tbs
|
8.57632
kkp
|
88
Tbs
|
8.6749
kkp
|
89
Tbs
|
8.77348
kkp
|
90
Tbs
|
8.87206
kkp
|
91
Tbs
|
8.97064
kkp
|
92
Tbs
|
9.06922
kkp
|
93
Tbs
|
9.16779
kkp
|
94
Tbs
|
9.26637
kkp
|
95
Tbs
|
9.36495
kkp
|
96
Tbs
|
9.46353
kkp
|
97
Tbs
|
9.56211
kkp
|
98
Tbs
|
9.66069
kkp
|
99
Tbs
|
9.75926
kkp
|
100
Tbs
|
9.85784
kkp
|
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