Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking

Comment: I love this book and my kitchen scale.
While the text is delicious, the content is food for the creative soul. The ratios are presented in a way that is inspiring for a non-cooking school baker and cook. I have had hours of enjoyment from this book and ingredients from my pantry.

Comment: this is a good book for learning the basics of a lot of dishes. From there you can improvise with additions and flavors keeping the structure the same. It doesn't have EVERYTHING, but obviously what book would?

It's a good book and it's cheap. Get it and you'll be glad you did.

Comment: This is a decent book, but did not fulfill it's potential, and MUCH was over looked.

For example, the paragraph on pages 10 & 11 which discusses the shape/baking temp of your/our first loaf is completely confusing - different shapes, rising time and baking times are discussed in the same paragraph. The one paragraph should have been re-ordered and made into 3 paragraphs (at least).

The book also has NO directions for any sweet breads. That seems like a HUGE oversight. The closest it comes it to take the basic bread recipe (flour, water, salt and yeast) and suggests the addition of chocolate and dried cherries. Ugg. I thought at least there would be a blog where more recipes/suggestions could be found. Alas, no luck.

Although not represented in the marketing/advertising, or the cover art, much of the book is oddly dedicated to meats, sauces, stocks, etc.

However, Mr Ruhlman isn't completely to blame, the publisher should be admonished, since the layout of the book contributes to it's failure. Had the book been READ by a non-baker, some of these issues would have been resolved - like the one on pages 10/11.

Finally, who's handling the marketing for this book? Does Mr. Ruhlman and his marketing team really think it's impressive that he attended the CIA with the sole intent finding inspiration for a new book, someone hands him a sheet of paper, and voila he has a book? Come on! That little bit of self-appreciating information (kinda makes him look like an idiot and) should have been completely eliminated.

Perhaps person who gave him the ratios should have been consulted for more (directly related) content.

Comment: For each of this, so much of that. Proportion. That is ratio. We can make much from simplicity. The proportional lengths of string are our musical ratios. Architecture is proportion on the grand scale of building. The building of a cake.

Why is it so hard (so easy) to bake your cake from scratch? Why is it so easy (so hard) to make your own mayonnaise or vinaigrette, hollandaise or custard. And what do they have in common? Why does a bad brine make my dinner roasted like Carthage and a good one make yours like a Roman banquette?

Give me six ratios and I become Archimedes with a place to stand to move any palate. You can leverage your pantry, larder, cantina and refrigerator like never before. My little kitchen is my only place in this crazy world where I am in control; and I can conjure a little creativity.
For those of you who do not know Michael Ruhlman, he is the pre-eminent journalist/chef/food writer in the world. There are many who rise above him as chefs, or authors but he rises high enough in all categories to give him a special place in my library and make him deserving of your consideration. He is a standout among a crowd of hacks, marketeers and narcissists. He has been working hard for years. He writes carefully for both those who are his subjects and for his readers. I first ran across him when he was covering the marathon final exam for the Master Chef class at the C.I.A. He has subsequently done a book with one of those candidates. This is a serious, respectful and enduring writer. His style is honed for maximum clarity of information. But he also works in broader landscapes when not directly concerned in showing you exactly what to expect and how to do it all.

You cycle from fun through enlightenment to confident accomplishment over and over in a spiral of commanding execution as he works you through each topic. The ratios you master are for doughs, then batters, on to stocks and sauces, into Farcir and straight on to the emulsified sauces, ending, over the rainbow in custardland! You remember custard? Now it is only simulated with gum agar and hydro-goo.

I wish I had had all this forty years ago in one place. But I use it now. You will get the clarity and grounding to do it all, and with the least fuss and fuzziness. And if you have been baking without a scale, add one now. And a good oven thermometer.

Comment: This review is not in reference to the content of this book but, rather, the Kindle version/pricing.

I'd heard great things about this book and was pleased to see that I could quickly download it for my Kindle and have it in seconds....

Except that the Kindle version of the book is priced HIGHER than the hardcover price? $17.99 for a digital copy of this book? What?

I thought that this was against Amazon's pricing scheme for Kindle books.