each

Each is a unit of measure in culinary contexts, referring to a single individual item of an ingredient—whether that be one egg, one onion, one clove of garlic, or one piece of poultry. The term derives from the Old English "æce" and is commonly abbreviated as "ea." in recipes and culinary literature. In standardized cooking measurements, "each" serves as a fundamental counting unit, distinct from volume (cups, milliliters) or weight (grams, ounces) measurements, and is essential for ingredients that are naturally portioned and variable in size.

The designation "each" is employed in recipes when specifying discrete, countable ingredients where individual units are more practical than weight or volume. It is standard in recipes calling for whole eggs, individual vegetables, bulbs of garlic, sprigs of herbs, or portions of meat. This measurement is particularly valuable in home cooking and professional kitchens when ingredient size varies significantly (such as with onions or potatoes), making a precise numerical count more meaningful than a weight specification. When converting recipes or scaling batches, "each" requires judgment about ingredient size or standardization of portion weight.