I'm thrilled to announce that Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, has now been published at an enormously friendly price, in pocket-friendly flexibility.
That wickedly smart television personality, author and speaker, food guru Alton Brown, chose the book as one his Top 5 cookbooks, period: "This is a refreshing, illuminating and perhaps even revolutionary look at the relations that make food work," he writes in The Wall Street Journal. (Brown has a new book out next month, Good Eats: The Middle Years.)
My favorite review was in Slate, in which Jennifer Reese asserts that Ratio is a "fascinating and pompous new book." Who the hell is Jennifer Reese?! NPR reporter Guy Raz read Reese's skeptical but ultimately won-over verdict and did this piece for All Things Considered.
If you're new to this site or don't know about the whole concept of ratios and my book—"possibly revolutionary" he repeats, pompously—watch this 2:41 minute video, filmed in my kitchen.
Because this concept of proportions could be adapted so beautifully to the new smart phones, we've created an app that makes all the calculations for you, allowing you to scale recipes up or down with a tap of a finger based on how much you need or how much you have. A pancake recipe in a book may work great, but say it calls for two eggs and you only have one, you can't tap the page and find out how the recipe changes if you reduce the number of eggs. You can with those miraculous smart phones. (I'm thinking of building an app for the iPad, which could also include more of Donna's gorgeous black and whites.) Here's the link for the iPhone app. Click this link if you're on an Android device.
Want a closer look of how the book works along with recipes, here's a post on the vinaigrette ratio I wrote for Elise at Simply Recipes.
Thank you all for reading, and to the many many who already have Ratio, forgive the repeat of all this info. I do care about this book and I do hope it makes cooking more fun, and more accessible, to more people.
DebbieQ
This is just about my favorite cookbook...and I have a lot of them. The poor thing has stains all over the pages. I think that means that I use it a lot and perhaps that I am a messy cook.
SWoody
Oh, good, I'm not the only messy cook! Ditto on the stains - this is the only cookbook I own that stays in the kitchen at all times.
Chad
I hope you're at michael@ruhlman.com (since that's where I sent my request via paypal) - thanks for the very generous offer you've made!
Marc Johnson
Been waiting for this to come out in Paperback. Thanks for offering a signed copy for the same price as Amazon. One ordered!
Sarah Galvin (All Our Fingers in the Pie)
The ratios make perfect sense to me. I will definitely be buying this book.
KristineB
I took Ratio on vacation with me as we had a stocked kitchen at the beach house. We used it to make pancakes, a vinaigrette, and something else I can't recall at the moment. Now I'm going to have to get the paperback to make it even more travel friendly. (I'll get the app when I get the right phone). That Alton Brown is one smart man.
Lou Iorio
I hope this will result in a lower cost for the iBook version (currently $18).
I own the hardcover version, and it's a lovely book.
Chris Tao
I, too, sent the payment to michael@ruhlman.com- hope that was the right address.
Can't wait to get this. I have been checking this book out from the local library over and over again. To have my own (signed!) copy would be great, and definitely more convenient.
David
Looking forward to it! I've been contemplating it for quite a wwhile. An autographed copy was just enough to tip the scales!
SimplyForties
As a full-time housesitter, I live like a gypsy and have all my books on the Kindle (thank goodness for modern technology). I was surprised to see that the Kindle format is the most expensive available. How can that be?
Amy Julian
I have the hard cover also but am thrilled to hear that the paperback is out as I intend to buy several copies for Christmas gifts. More than anything else the book is empowering. Thanks so much.
Natalie Sztern
Michael, it drives me crazy the way you pronounce Pate a Choux: please pronounce the 't' in Pate because you pronounce it as 'd' pad a choux. I know coming from Montreal the bilingual in me is crying out but it is okay to accentuate, emphasize and even overtly pronounce the 't' as in Patt a choux. Pat-ty Pancakes...I am going to pattt the dog ....Pattttte a choux :))
You have a beautiful family and wouldn't you know it with the Canadian dollar I got an email from Chapters that Ratio is now selling for close to three bucks cheaper...
Christie
Hey, if Alton said it, it's golden. My instructors at culinary school are fascinated with my Ratio app for the iPhone, BTW.
Thanks!
Rhonda
"I never thought of myself as a Food Writer..."
Well, we did.
And, the best at that!
There are only 3 books you will ever need to educate yourself and become a real cook. And that is Elements, Ratio and 20 Techniques.
congrats on the paperback edition!
Monica
I had pre-ordered the paperback version from Amazon, and it arrived yesterday. I stayed up last night reading every word. As someone who likes to mess with recipes but figures things out through trial and error (and thus too many cooking trials--and errors--end up in the trash can), this has got to be the most valuable cooking resource I've come across. I'm ordering copies for all of my cooking friends and family for Christmas. This book rocks! Thank you.
Janet
I don't see a link to where I can purchase a signed copy from you. I would really like to purchase two of them, one for me and one for my daughter. Thanks.
Mari
^ I'd love one, too. I presume we're too late though :/
Dan at FoodieLawyer
I love this book, and we've learned a ton of amazing information from it. Thanks, Michael!
guy
Several months ago, I bought Elements and Ratio at the same time, and I'm still only about halfway through both of them. But I like Ratio so much that I pre-ordered a copy from Amazon to be delivered to a friend. Should have arrived yesterday.
Tenina
Ratio is the most useful cook book I own, and I own a lot! I love the app too! GO MICHAEL! (I am a big fan!)
Tory
I realize now this comment comes a bit late, but oh well.
I bought this book just a couple of days ago after reading here it had been released in paperback (I'm a poor college student), and OMG - I'm amazed. At first I tried the shortbread, adding almond extract and chopped almonds. Although I failed on them (forgot to set the oven timer), it was a good intro to using ratios. Later that night my cooking buddy came over and made eclairs filled with pastry cream, and WOW. We're pretty good cooks, but had no idea that we could make something that great on the first try.
I cannot wait to use this book again soon - it's absolutely perfect for the culinary inventor!
soda
Looking forward to it! I’ve been contemplating it for quite a while. An autographed copy was just enough to tip the scales