My Recipe Format

The format of listing ingredients at the top of a recipe and instructions below lends itself to error. How many times have you forgotten to include an ingredient while shifting your eyes back and forth between ingredients and directions? How many times have you added the wrong amount of an ingredient for the same reason?

For these and other reasons, the recipe format I use follows a sensible system I learned several decades ago that makes much more sense to me. Instructions are given in a column on the left, with ingredients listed, in their order of use, in a column on the right. Like this:

Dressing for Green Salad

This format still gives all the ingredients in one list for easy reference, but incorporates the directions so you don’t have to read everything twice. It’s the format I used in my book Ice Cream, The Whole Scoop. It works because it follows the normal pattern of reading from left to right.

On an iPhone the two columns telescope into each other, but the recipe still reads as intended. To see how it’s supposed to look, turn the phone sideways.

This format eliminates another pet peeve of mine: Recipes that are excessively wordy. I don’t believe most cooks need to be reminded of such things as to wash the chives and lettuce.

I also don’t think most cook need to be told to use sea salt or kosher salt, for instance. If you normally use sea salt or kosher salt, that’s presumably what you will use when you prepare a recipe. Use what you’ve got.

Unless I have a compelling reason, I normally don’t mention specific brand(s) I use. On the other hand, I might link an ingredient to a brand or a source that I’m particularly fond of.

Which brings me to another point. My favorite recipes are those that use ingredients I normally have on hand. Okay, so I may miss out on some of the world’s best cuisine by passing on a recipe that includes 2 tablespoons of something I can’t pronounce that’s available only in specialty shops.

Similarly, I usually avoid recipes that require me to buy things that are highly perishable. I live 35 miles from shopping, so I don’t go often. Most of the perishables I use are grown right here on our farm: eggs, milk, meat, vegetables, fruit.

Oh, and while we’re at it, I also avoid recipes that call for a box of this or a can of that. What’s the point of cooking from scratch if you’re going to use processed and prepackaged ingredients?

So, there you have it. I hope you enjoy the occasional recipes I include here on my blog.