Cooking tips are my favorite thing to share. Today I want to share how I learned to create my own recipes. For the longest time, I thought I was a really good cook. Don’t get me wrong, I have always been proud of the fact that I am a good cook. I love to cook and I love trying new recipes. But here is the problem. I was a really good cook that cooked from recipes. That isn’t very impressive. Fortunately, that changed a few years ago.
I happened to come across a review for a book called Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking. The codes in the book are the ratios that exist in most recipes. For example, let’s take a look at a vinaigrette or salad dressing. As explained in the book, the simple ratio of the main ingredients are 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. As long as you use that ratio, you can make any salad dressing with any type of olive oil, vinegar, and some fresh herbs. So rather than memorizing one recipe you just need to memorize the ratio to use to make your own vinaigrette. Isn’t that the best cooking tip?
As the author states, “When you know a culinary ratio, it’s not like knowing a single recipe, it’s instantly knowing a thousand.” How simple is that?
Most of us cook without recipes when it comes to our favorite recipes. So why not expand that knowledge to include so much more?
There are a lot of ratios for dough. Bread is 5 parts flour: 3 parts water (plus yeast and salt). Pizza dough is 3 parts flour: 2 parts egg. To make pizza dough use any type of flour and egg and then just add yeast. When I make pizza dough, I love to use bread or whole wheat flour and I always add basil and other herbs to my dough.
Bread is my favorite ratio. It is 5 parts flour: 3 parts water. Plus a pinch of yeast and two pinches of salt. But this is where you get creative. Add rosemary and garlic. Or orange and cranberries. Or olives and walnuts and chocolates and pecans. As long as you use the ratio, you can make any bread or muffins or dough you want.
If we expand the bread ratios, biscuits are 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat: 2 parts liquid. Pie Dough is 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat: 1 part water. Isn’t this the best cooking tip?
The book also has ratios for batters such as pound cake, sponge cake, and angel food cake. Muffins are 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part butter. I have found that when I only have the ratio (instead of a recipe) it forces me to be creative. Sometimes not having all of the information for a recipe is a good thing.
The book Ratio has a chapter on all of the basic cooking ratios such as sauces, custards, meats, stocks, batters, and doughs. You really need to read the book once so that you understand how to use the ratios.
There is a great reference guide in the front of the book which lists all of the ratios you will need to know. I copied it and taped it to the inside of my recipe cupboard. It is a great reference that I use all of the time. I love that using ratios also helps you understand cooking in general. Understanding the difference between bread and fresh pasta is important. (The answer is eggs.) What’s the difference between bread dough and pie dough? Fat. And a tip for remembering the pie dough ratio? 3-2-1. 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat and 1 part water.
I love sharing my personal cooking tips. This book changed the way I cook long before I became a blogger. When I looked up the ratio for biscuits the other day I realized I had never shared this concept. Let me know what you think!
12 Responses
This is amazing!! Just goes to show, I had thrown out to the universe that I wanted to be more comfortable cooking, knowing how foods went together to cook more on my own, but how exactly was I going to do that? … You have given me the answer! Wow, thank you😂🙌🏼💯👏🏼🎯
I think this book sounds wonderful! And what a great gift idea! 👍
Oh my goodness. Thank you for sharing. I feel the same way about cooking. I’m so thrilled to have you share this book. I create things but they don’t always turn out well. But with this formula/ratio concept I can build from what I know. So exciting! Thank you!
My SIL is a professional chef and this is how they cook and develope recipes…he told me the concept but now I really understand!! Thank you so much for sharing…I am getting the book asap!
When you say parts is it cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons? Is it equal parts? Guess I might need to read the book because it sounds very interesting. It will be great to be able to cook something without a recipe.
Wow, so interesting and am glad to have this resource. I’m going have to read the book and give this a try!
What an informative ideas these are! I think it is very helpful and cooperative. I really love the way you go… Thanks a lot for sharing your ideas!
I read out your article and got some good idea about food recipe. This article inspired me to create my own recipe and its boost of my cooking skill.
Thanks for such an informative post.
I love to cook my food. I got some very good idea about cooking own recipe by reading your post. I think its boost of my cooking skill.
Thanks for the share. Keep sharing!
Oh, that makes me so happy. Happy cooking!
Leslie
Very good tips on cooking. I think this tips help me cooking the best recipes. Love it and thanks for your kind share.