Ever been in the middle of a recipe and realize you don’t have a particular ingredient? Or maybe you’ve found yourself in the grocery store trying to figure out how many pints of cream to buy for 1 1/2 cups? Here are a few translations you should know, equivalents that have probably slipped your mind and some substitutions for your kitchen:

Translations
courgette = zucchini
coriander, fresh = cilantro
simple syrup = equal parts sugar and water, boil until dissolved
celeriac = celery root
double cream = heavy cream
sultanas = golden raisins
bean curd = tofu
aioli = garlic mayonnaise
rocket = arugula

Equivalents
3 tsps. = 1 Tbls.
4 Tbls = ¼ cup = 2 oz.
16 Tbls = 1 cup = 8 oz = ½ pint
2 cups = 1 pint = 16 oz.
4 cups = 1 quart = 32 oz.
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon

Substitutions
1 cup crème fraiche - ½ cup each sour cream and whipping cream
1 tsp. lemon juice - ½ tsp. white vinegar
Grand Marnier - frozen concentrate orange juice
halibut - grouper
buttermilk - 1 scant cup milk at room temperature plus 1 Tbls. white vinegar

For more, check out The Food Lover's Companion [1] by Sharon Tyler Herbst - inexpensive and a good essential for your kitchen.