// science-first cooking
Most recipes tell you what to do. We teach you why it works. Master a handful of fundamental ratios and you'll never need to follow a recipe again — you'll improvise with confidence.
Vinaigrette
3 : 1
Oil to Acid
Basic Bread
5 : 3
Flour to Water
Shortcrust Pastry
3 : 2 : 1
Flour to Fat to Water
Foundations
These six ratios underpin hundreds of dishes. Learn the principle once, then improvise any variation you can imagine.
3 parts oil : 1 part acid
The foundation of every salad dressing. Swap the oil (olive, walnut, sesame), change the acid (lemon, sherry vinegar, yuzu), add aromatics — the ratio stays the same.
5 parts flour : 3 parts water + yeast + salt
The simplest formula, the deepest rabbit hole. This 60% hydration dough is your starting point. Increase water for ciabatta, decrease for bagels.
2 parts dairy : 1 part egg : ¼ part sugar
The mother formula behind crème brûlée, ice cream base, pastry cream, and a simple baked custard. Adjust richness by varying cream-to-milk proportions.
Sugar + heat = stages of transformation
Not a ratio but a process . Understanding the stages of sugar cooking — thread, soft ball, hard crack, caramel — unlocks confectionery, toffee, and spun sugar.
2 parts bones : 3 parts water + aromatics
The foundation of professional cooking. Chicken, beef, fish, vegetable — the extraction principle is the same. Time and gentle heat do the work.
3 parts flour : 2 parts fat : 1 part water
The formula behind pies, tarts, and quiches. Cold fat, minimal handling, and the right ratio produce flaky, tender pastry every time.
Deep Dive
One ratio, infinite variations. This is what ratio-based cooking looks like in practice.
// emulsification · 5 minutes · no cook
Every great salad starts with this ratio. Three parts oil to one part acid, bound by an emulsifier (mustard, egg yolk, or sheer will). Once you internalise the proportion, you'll never measure again — you'll feel it.
Oil and vinegar are immiscible — they don't naturally mix. An emulsifier (like the lecithin in mustard or egg yolk) creates a bridge, surrounding tiny oil droplets with a molecular coat that prevents them from merging back together. The 3:1 ratio provides enough fat to carry flavour while the acid cuts through richness. Adjust to 2:1 if you prefer a sharper bite.
Vocabulary
The building blocks of cooking. Each technique appears across dozens of recipes. Master the technique, and every recipe that uses it becomes easier.
Sear
14 recipes
Braise
9 recipes
Emulsify
7 recipes
Fold
6 recipes
Proof
8 recipes
Deglaze
11 recipes
Temper
5 recipes
Reduce
12 recipes
Chill
10 recipes
Caramelise
6 recipes
Blanch
4 recipes
Ferment
5 recipes
Philosophy
A recipe is a fish. A ratio is a fishing rod. Here's why we think understanding principles matters more than following instructions.
01
When you know that a vinaigrette is 3:1, you don't need a recipe for "Lemon Herb Dressing" — you just make it. Any oil, any acid, any flavouring. The ratio gives you a framework; your palate fills in the detail.
02
When you know why an emulsion breaks (too much oil added too fast, insufficient emulsifier), you can fix it. Without the science, you're just guessing. Knowledge turns failure into a learning moment.
03
Recipes break when you scale them. Ratios don't. A 3:2:1 pastry works whether you're making a single tart or forty pies. The proportions are invariant — only the quantities change.
Reference
Sugar transforms as temperature rises. Each stage unlocks different textures and confections. A thermometer is the only tool you need.
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