Every once in an admittedly long while, I get to cook. Since the recipe to successful cooking is to actually understand the recipes, I figured I'd "write" them down the way that makes the most sense to me.
Since this chart is spreading around, a quick FAQ:
- this is barely more than a proof of concept. I think it needs a separate list of ingredients, and some actual text for basic description of the intended result. The chart alone is probably not helpful enough for really complicated recipes. I'd buy a cookbook like that, though (better yet, someone rip this off and send me a signed copy :p ).
- You're on your own if you want to try those recipes. ;) Still, I should point out that the tomatoes need to be ripe. The intended end result is a thick sauce, not a fricassée, as I ended up with because I used tomatoes way too firm. The egplant is best cooked in a pressure cooker. 10 minutes and you'll get something soft enough so you can easily peel the skin off.
- The first reason I made this was so I had a visual reminder that I could put on my iPad. In the end, said iPad was hogged by my guests all night (woe is the early adopter!)
- original recipes are creole french (see map)
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gilmanj_2000 38 months ago | reply
This is brilliant and well worth more work. I do have a thought, though I don't know how well I can express it. I think that as drawn, the flow tends to confuse what should/could be asynchronous "prep" ("Mise en Place") with actually cooking the dish. For example, in the Curry, the eggs might be boiled a day before making the dish. Likewise, mincing, chopping, etc. can occur well before they are needed. As drawn, it looks like these are critically synchronous tasks that have to be performed in step with the primary "cooking" swim lane. In other words, the chart makes it look like it is critical to first begin boiling the eggs, then mince onions and begin to brown, then grind spices, then begin chopping tomatoes.
In general, I think a goal should be to minimize the number of time sensitive swim lanes. This will take pressure off of your reader/cook. In the case of your two examples there should be only one lane that strongly expresses time/process, this is the "cooking" lane. Other recipes would require more time/process swim lanes, but even in those cases it should be visually obvious when one can be completed before another and timing isn't important.
I would experiment with making "prep" lanes look different from the primary "cooking" lane(s) and use a big, obvious break or indicator right where "prep" tasks enter the "cooking" flow to indicate that an indeterminate amount of time may have passed prior to those points.
Keep at it, this is really good work.
John
Paul Tarjan 38 months ago | reply
I love it. I would buy a cookbook in this format.
Starsammy 38 months ago | reply
Gilmanj, very interesting points, I'll think about it.
benatka 38 months ago | reply
brilliant idea! Bravo! :)
regordane 38 months ago | reply
Anyone who _boils_ an eggplant deserves to be shot. Those critters need high temperature to give a good flavour, so bake or grill them.
I'm with gilmanj_2000 though. The concept is good but distinguishing preparation from time-sensitive processes is what actually makes cooking easier.
HerryLawford 38 months ago | reply
This is a great idea; you'd better copyright it fast!
Zelnox 38 months ago | reply
It’s nifty at first glance, but I don’t have any problems following a traditional recipe. Handy as a cheat-sheet though.
Can it be ambiguous to those who don’t cook often?
Miłosz Lindner 38 months ago | reply
You're a God! I had had a problem with making tea with you i can fix it.
mislav-m 38 months ago | reply
If you make a book, I would buy it.
robbat2 38 months ago | reply
Do you peel the eggs or include them whole in shell into the curry?
tomorrowstand 38 months ago | reply
Instant understanding. This is what a good chart should be doing. Brilliant!
Starsammy 38 months ago | reply
Robbat2, I didn't include all the obvious ;)
defnotmartha 38 months ago | reply
this is damn cool. Love it.
TheMacDiva 38 months ago | reply
This is great. I wonder how it could be adapted for baking recipes?
arvindkher 37 months ago | reply
@gilmanj_2000: Good point, easily addressed. Introduce a vertical line cutting across all swim lanes. This line is the figurative starting block. Everything to the left of this is prep, and can be performed asynchronously before the cooking starts.
@regordane: Right on! Boilers to be shot at dawn, no appeal, no pardon. Actually even baking is avoidable. Here'show we do it in my country. Wrap the eggplant tight in aluminium foil, exposing just the stem. Light the largest burner on your gas stove and set it to minimum. Place wrapped eggplant directly on burner, and turn continuously, holding by stem. When cantilever starts to flop, or foil starts to leak, you're done. Discard foil, peel skin, etc.
@starsammy: Great work Sir, more please. Thanks!
truemoss1 30 months ago | reply
When does the recipe book come out?
jojopai 28 months ago | reply
Love the design...and the recipe (I am from Reunion Island!!)
marcelbernet 26 months ago | reply
what i like most is the linearity - that often troubles me when trying something new. big stress at the end with all things coming together and without the routine of knowing, what could have been prepared.
i am looking forward to more interesting recipes...
onlinepastrychef 11 months ago | reply
I'm writing a post about how recipes have been tortured into being so much more than what they were originally intended to be. I'm using your brilliant flowchart as the illustration. It's perfect. I've already made the flowchart analogy before even finding this picture! Thanks. If you're interested in reading, here's the link: pastrychefonline.com/?p=6084
Starsammy 11 months ago | reply
Thanks for the credit, @onlinepastrychef