Here’s where things get delightfully weird. In the U.S., we measure butter by pounds and cups, but the rest of the world uses grams. One 1/4 pound of butter is about 113 grams—a number that sounds like a secret code to a cult of bakers. It’s also exactly 4 ounces, if you’re into that whole “ounces” thing.
Now, for a surprising fact: did you know that butter floats in water? Not that you’ll need that for measuring, but it’s a fun party trick. Just don’t drop your 1/4 pound in the sink while testing this—I’ve done that, and the dog ate it, and then he was the happiest, greasiest dog on the block.
And here’s the kicker: butter is actually 80% fat and 16% water. That’s why it melts so beautifully on hot toast but also why it makes your jeans fit a little snugger. So when you measure out that half cup, you’re also measuring a tiny, delicious lake of water. Science!
