recipe notation

What to Include

So here’s the first blush and what might be represented:

> Time – we’ve talked about this one, but it’s probably the biggie. Some nice linear format, it seems foolish to walk away from the crutch of the musical stave and its measures.

> Actions – it’s going to be a large collection of terms, but it should be manageable. The question is whether and how to abstract it beyond its current elements. For example, should cutting be removed as a separate function and then use visual ‘adjectives’ to describe types of cutting.

>> Samples: Open/Peel/Wash, Chop/Cut/Tear, Mix/Combine/Stir/Toss, Cover/Pour

> Temperature – this seems like one that can stand on its own. There are some general types based on the type of heat – over, stovetop, deep-fry, open flame, smoke – and then there is temperature in both general (medium-high) and specific terms (425 degrees).

> States of Transformation – Descriptions of ingredients at end states such as smooth, translucent, brown. Often, TIME isn’t the judge of doneness, it’s a visual assessment of the dish in progress.

> Ingredients as themselves – well here’s where I think we can call a spade a spade. Listing ingredients and their measurements is about as straightforward as we could get. We could represent the information differently by the SIZE of the text, but I not sure where that might be valuable. Measurements in Volume (cups, tsp) vs. Weight (pounds) vs. General Measures (a bunch, five) might be distinguished for clarification.

The challenge here will be determining where to stop. Notation will create the most value if it does it adds information AND simplicity to the experience of reading recipes. Symbols made of pictographs would be great, but it’s got to be simple enough (at least at first) that it doesn’t FEEL like a new language. The basics have to be simple to master.

Additionally, this doesn’t necessarily need to be able to articulate EVERY recipe or EVERY preparation technique. It should begin simple. In creating these it probably makes sense to start by trying to document a recipe in process rather than translating one from a text.

Direction vs. Technique

In working through this, it has become apparent that there are a few categories of information belnded in to recipies:

Four Categories of Information

1. Ingredients (e.g., 1 medium onion chopped coarsely)
>> Ingredient Name (onion)
>> Ingredient Amount/Size/Measurement (1 medium)
>> Ingredient Preparation (chopped coarsely)

2. Recipe Direction (First, sautee onion in skillet...)

3. Explanation of Cooking Techniques

4. Specific Tips on Preparation

All the types of information in Number 1 is usually contained in the Ingredients List and is separated from the other text in most recipes. Sometimes some of ingredient preparation is mixed into the narative copy. Numbers 2, 3 and 4 are usually intermixed together in the narative section of the recipe.*

Big Conclusion: To be effective, mapping of the recipe must be focuses on Recipe Directions -- the step-by-step events of completing the recipe. The other items must live in separate sections (like the INGREDIENT LIST does in most existing recipes.)

The other three categories require a narrative explanation or levels of detail that cannot be better replaced by symbols or a system. How much information to document and whether there is a standard method for noting this other information is to be determined.

*Sometimes cooking techniques are assumed, making recipes confusing or incomplete for novice cooks -- "braise the chicken pieces". Sometimes these are handled in a separate section of a cookbook.