1. Simple Proportions of one ingredient to another

3.  What are some of the basic food stuffs which can be made from these three ingredients and maybe a little water

4.  Cooking with ratios unchains the Chef and allows her or him to experiment more easily.  Ratios in cooking are the fundamental truths of the trade.  Know them and you are way ahead of most cooks.  Remember that ratios are mostly based on weight. It is uniquely American to use volume measures. A “cup” of flour can weigh anywhere between 4 and 6 ounces!

5.  3parts water : 2 parts bones  Stock is the ingredient that most distinguishes commercial cooking from home cooking.  The ratio can be as low as 1:1 or as high as 2:1 with acceptable results.  For long simmering stocks (not fish or vegetable) add mirepoix during the last hour so the vegetables do not soak up too much liquid

6.  Inexpensive handkerchiefs can be used for straining and are washable.  Veal and beef bones should be blanched or roasted first.  Fish bones should be sweated to opaque  Vegetables can be roasted or browned for a more complex stock  Roast and crack peppercorns

7.  Consomme = 12 parts stock: 3 parts meat: 1 part mirepoix: 1 part eggwhite  Roux = 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat  Thickening Ratio = 10 parts liquid: 1 part roux  Beurre Manie = 1 part flour: 1 part butter (by volume)  Slurry 1 part cornstarch: 1 part water (by volume)

8.  Watch branch herbs like rosemary as they can become bitter with long simmering.  Beef stock really requires meat and not just bones. Use a cheap cut like a round or shank.

9.  Bread = 5 parts flour: 3 parts water (plus yeast and salt)  Baker’s Ratio: salt = 2% of the flour weight and yeast at 3% of the flour weight  Generally yeast even in small quantities will leaven if given enough time to develop.  The more yeast the quicker the leavening but not necessarily flavor: as fermentation time influences flavor

10.  Pasta Dough:= 3 parts flour: 2 parts egg  Pie Dough = 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat: 1 part water  Biscuit= 3 parts flour: 1 part fat: 2 parts liquid (baking powder: 1 tsp per cup of flour)  Cookie Dough = 1 part sugar: 2 parts fat: 3 parts flour  Pate Choux= 2 parts water: 1 part butter: 1 part flour: 2 parts egg

11.  Pound Cake = 1part butter: 1 part sugar: 1 part egg: 1 part flour  Sponge Cake= 1 part egg: 1 part sugar: 1 part flour: 1 part butter  Angel Food Cake = 3 parts egg white: 3 parts sugar: 1 part flour

12.  Quick Bread = 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part butter  Muffin: = 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part butter  Fritter = 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg  Pancake = 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: ½ part butter  Popover: = 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part flour  Crepe: = 1 part liquid: 1 part egg: ½ part flour

13.  Sausage = 3 parts meat: 1 part fat  Sausage Seasoning = 60 parts meat: 1 part salt  Mousseline = 8 parts meat: 4 parts cream: 1 part egg  Brine = 20 parts water: 1 part salt

14.  Mayonnaise = 20 parts oil: 1 part liquid (plus yolk)  Vinaigrette = 3 parts oil: 1 part vinegar  Hollandaise = 5 parts butter: 1 part yolk: 1 part liquid

15.  Free-standing Custard = 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg  Rich custard for pies = 4 parts liquid: 1 parts yolk  Crème Anglaise = 4 parts milk/cream: 1 part yolk: 1 part sugar  Chocolate Sauce = 1 part chocolate: 1 part cream  Caramel Sauce= 1 part sugar: 1 part cream

16.  The 1 part rice to 2 parts water does not really work with all rice as you increase the quantities of rice. Variables include: size of cooking vessel, washing, age of the rice, conversion, type of rice, variety of rice, etc.

17.  Basic ratio is 2 parts flour to 1 part water for wrappers.  For steaming dough (humbow) 4 parts flour to 1 part water with a bit of yeast, sugar and oil.  For won ton dough: 3 parts flour, 1 part egg, 1 part water, salt