Michael Ruhlman’s groundbreaking New York Times bestseller gets at the very “truth” of cooking: it is not about recipes but rather about basic ratios and fundamental techniques.
Ratios are the simple proportions of one ingredient to another. Knowing a culinary ratio is not like knowing a single recipe; it’s instantly knowing a thousand.
Why spend time sorting through millions of cookie recipes online or in cookbooks? Isn’t it easier to remember 1:2:3? That’s the ratio of ingredients that consistently make a basic, delicious cookie dough: 1 part sugar, 2 parts fat, and 3 parts flour. From there, add anything you want—chocolate, orange zest, walnuts, cinnamon, almond extract, or peanut butter, to name a few favorite variations. Replace white sugar with brown for a darker, chewier cookie. Add baking powder and/or eggs for a lighter, airier texture.
Biscuit dough is 3:1:2—or 3 parts flour, 1 part fat, and 2 parts liquid. Vinaigrette is 3:1, or 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, and is one of the most useful sauces imaginable, giving everything from grilled meats and fish to steamed vegetables or lettuces fabulous flavor. Change its ratio and bread dough becomes pasta dough; cakes become muffins become popovers become crepes. Once you know the ratio, you no longer need a recipe.
Ratio also helpfully teaches readers how the fundamental ingredients of the kitchen—water, flour, butter and oils, milk and cream, and eggs—work together. In a world full of overly complicated recipes, award-winning author Michael Ruhlman delivers an innovative, straightforward book that makes the cooking easier and more satisfying than ever.

- 272 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Information
Topic
ArtSubtopic
Culinary ArtsTable of contents
- Cover
- Dedication
- The Ratios
- What Is a Ratio and Why Is It Important?
- The All-Important Scale
- Using This Book
- Introduction: The Truth of Cooking
- Part One: Doughs and Batters
- Part Two: Stocks and the Amazing Things They Allow You to Do
- Part Three: Farir: Sausage, Mousseline, and Other Meat-Related Ratios
- Part Four: Fat-Based Sauces
- Part Five: The Custard Continuum
- Epilogue: The Ultimate Meaning and Usefulness of Ratios
- Acknowledgments
- ‘The Book of Cocktail Ratios’ Teaser
- Copyright
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Yes, you can access Ratio by Michael Ruhlman in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Art & Culinary Arts. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.