When I make a 2-layer cake, a batch of dough that makes 2 loaves, or anything else that requires even division (like last night’s Tofu-Tofu Burgers from Elizabeth Andoh’s Kansha), I often have a moment of regret when I reach the division point.  “I wish I knew the weight of the bowl I’m using,” I think, “so I could do some simple math to figure out how I should divide this.”  But I don’t know, so I either eyeball it, or mess up another pan (which I have just weighed).*

Not too long ago, probably while I was making lots of plum jam, I had an idea to prevent the division regret:  weigh all of my favorite bowls and pans, label them prominently, and take their pictures.  Then, when next I am baking a 2-layer cake, or mixing a batch of dough that makes 2 loaves, I can consult the photos to get the weight. (Clearly, one could also get in the habit of weighing the empty bowl before starting the recipe, something easier said than done.)

The photos will be on my desktop computer, but for easy access in the kitchen, I plan on uploading all of the pictures to Evernote** with a tag like “Kitchen weights”, thus making them available on my Android phone or tablet from the kitchen.

* Of course, for many recipes you don’t really need to be exact — a muffin that is 25% bigger than its neighbor will probably turn out OK.
** A wonderful application that has greatly improved my life, giving me a place to store to-do lists, shopping lists, article, travel notes and all kinds of things that used to get lost on small slips of paper.