Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking: 1 (Ruhlman's Ratios) - Hardcover

"Cooking, like so many creative endeavors, is defined by relationships. For instance, knowing exactly how much flour to put into a loaf of bread isn't nearly as useful as understanding the relationship between the flour and the water, or fat, or salt . That relationship is defined by a 'ratio, ' and having a ratio in hand is like having a secret decoder ring that frees you from the tyranny of recipes.
Professional cooks and bakers guard ratios passionately so it wouldn't surprise me a bit if Michael Ruhlman is forced into hiding like a modern-day Prometheus, who in handing us mortals a power better suited to the gods, has changed the balance of kitchen power forever.
I for one am grateful. I suspect you will be too." -- Alton Brown, author of I'm Just Here for the Food

The author of The Elements of Cooking demonstrates how to master western cooking fundamentals through an understanding of ingredient ratios, in a guide that introduces twenty-six basic recipes broken down into ratio-style measurements as well as a variety of accessible variations that enable more flavorful or creative taste combinations.