The Art of Measuring Recipes: Recipes and Measurement

A recipe is a bridge between someone who knows how to make a certain dish and some one who wants to make it. Ideally, the teacher and the would-be cook would be in the same place at the same time, but that is not always possible. Since food preparation is ongoing and universal, a permanent, universal method of communication is needed. This is the written recipe a set of directions for making a dish or product. The directions give the reader two things: the ingredients needed and instructions for combining them to make the finished product.

The standardized recipe

Written recipes are used in a particular operation to record the way in which that establishment makes the various dishes it serves. This kind of recipe is a standardized recipe.

The typical standardized recipe lists the ingredients in order of use. It states the amount of each ingredient required to make a certain number of servings of a certain size, and gives instructions for putting the ingredients together to make the dish. The number and size of servings are on the recipe as the yield.

The recipe is for servings commonly used in the operation. Many establishments write recipes for 25 or 50 servings. In some, the recipe is configured for larger yields, such as 100, 500, or 1000 servings. Often the serving dish, garnish, and plate layout are described. Sometimes the card has a picture of the dish in color.

Stay tumed in for the next part on this series in The Art of Measuring Recipes.

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