I think one thing that was implied was that the reader already knows how to cook. Since none of the measurements were standard (even things that have measuremen

I think one thing that was implied was that the reader already knows how to cook. Since none of the measurements were standard (even things that have measurements - 3 cups of flour measured by weight can vary significantly from person to person) it was understood that whoever is making the recipe knows what a dough should look like, or what a batter's viscosity should be, and make the proper adjustments according to their own needs.