A recipe should at least include a list of portioned ingredients and instructions on how to properly use those ingredients to cook the dish. In my mind, a complete recipe should also include a name for the dish as well as a preface giving context to the dish, and serving suggestions. So, the ideal recipe for me follows this format: title, contextual preface, list of ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and finally a serving suggestion (how to serve the dish and what to serve it with). A low quality recipe may include a list of ingredients but not portions, or it may include the list of ingredients and a confusing set of instructions. I also believe that an ideal recipe has visuals to go along with it, whether it be a picture, a video, or a GIF. In fact, social media accounts that post GIF recipes have amassed tens and millions of followers.

The “Kung Pao Chicken” recipe from the Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees cookbook is an example of a perfect recipe, for me. Before the written part of the recipe even begins, there is a step-by-step visual of the cooking process, showing the reader the way the dish looks from the beginning to the end. The author then gives a short but succinct preface, giving cultural context by saying the “dish would not be recognized by anyone arriving in the United States from China” (Kho, 109). The recipe lists all the ingredients with portions, lists detailed instructions, and provides a serving suggestion as well.

On allrecipes.com, one of the most popular online recipes, one of the current top recipes is for a dish called “Easy Smoked Sausage Skillet.” The preface to the recipe simply reads “Dinner’s on the table in no time with this one-skillet sausage and veggie dish served over rice.” It’s not that this is necessarily a bad recipe because of this, but the recipe lacks a certain type of context and excitement because of the minimalist preface. However, you can find a great amount of information and variations on the dish from the user comments section.

While the “Kung Pao Chicken” recipe is the superior recipe for me, it all depends on the audience. The author of the “Easy Sausage Skillet” recipe wrote the recipe for a broader audience looking for a quick and easy dish to serve for dinner. The author of the “Kung Pao Chicken Recipe” most likely wrote the recipe for those more experienced in the kitchen, and those with the time, money and energy to make recipes from a unique cookbook.  It is much harder to find the “Kung Pao Chicken” recipe than it is to find the “Easy Sausage Skillet Recipe”; one is on the main page of a top recipe website, and one is on page 109 of a physical cookbook. It is important to note that this resource is a paid resource, as one has to purchase the cookbook to get access to the “Kung Pao Chicken” recipe.

The “Kung Pao Chicken” recipe may seem to be the better, more complete recipe, but for all I know, the “Easy Sausage Skillet” might just be tastier. At the end of the day, if a recipe gives you the right information to make a dish, and that dish is good, then the recipe has served a meaningful purpose.

Sources: Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees by Kian Lam Kho; http://allrecipes.com/recipe/245932/easy-smoked-sausage-skillet/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/245932/easy-smoked-sausage-skillet/?internalSource=rotd&referringContentType=home%20page&clickId=cardslot%201