How Much Exactly Is A Smidgen Of Salt, Or A Dash Of Pepper?

Ever wonder exactly how much a dash of salt is? Well, Mental Floss breaks it all down for you, figuring out just how much a dash, pinch, smidgen, or drop is.

According to kitchen supplies makers, a dash of salt is specifically 1/8 of a teaspoon, while a pinch is exaclty 1/2 a dash (1/16 teaspoon) and a smidgen is half that (1/32 teaspoon).

Dash, smidgen, and pinch aren't the only vague units of measurements in everyday language, though. A barrel of beer, for example, is actually 31.5 gallons, and a keg is half that. Meanwhile, a hogshead of wine is actually 63 gallons of wine, while two hogshead become a pipe or butt of wine.

For bakers, a pat of butter is some 1/3 ounce, while a drop is only 0.05 milliliter. Check out the rest of the video from Mental Floss below to learn more about what these measurements actually mean (including a foot, span, and oxgang).