@clacke In France, old recipes still measure in cl = centilitre. 1 cl = 10 ml. But Millilitre/litre are the norm today. Besides that, we have approximate (!) measurements varying to your kitchen equipment: 1 tablespoon, 1 coffeespoon (like in Germany we prefer coffee) or a pinch. As Ross says, it's simply object-oriented (the size of a pinch varies with the size of your fingers) and means: A very tiny amount = pinch, more than a pinch = small spoon, less than a handful = tablespoon. No norms.