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Pick Your Poison by Scott Ableman, on Flickr
Sometimes I feel like my brain is going to explode. I’ve learned so much in the last year that I think I must have been really, really dumb before! And the more I learn the more I know I don’t know. There are days I don’t even know the questions to ask.
I feel like I’ve really strayed from the original focus of my blog: local, seasonal food. But as I learn about things that affect food, the food supply, farmers that provide our food, food policy and the overall state of our health, I want to share. Some issues are hot buttons with me, especially nanotechnology and GMOs. But there are certain news items that send me over the edge into a major funk. BPA and phthalates, for instance. They’re everywhere, like the zombies in a George Romero film. They seem inescapable and here to do great harm.
With the rate our food is being trashed, how is it any of us are still upright and breathing? Why do I feel like I’m yelling into a great void, or worse, walking around downtown in a sandwich board: “Repent, the end is near”? What great apocalypse will be required to stop us from building our grandchildren’s lives on the shifting sand of untested technology and rampant consumerism? I tell ya, it’s enough to make a girl lose sleep.
But all I can do is all I can do. I’m not skilled at preaching and am completely incapable of “saving the Earth” or any such. My original goal remains the same: feed my family traditional food from clean sources as often as possible. Sure, I’m going to get fired up about things, vent a little and allow that impetus to drive me toward change. Much has changed since I started down this road.
It’s those first steps that I keep coming back to. Homemade stock incorporated into at least one meal a day. Fermented foods. Kefir and kombucha. Real, fresh milk, grassfed meat, pastured eggs. Full fat. Of course, if the coffee I drink with my eggs is shade grown, fair trade and organic, all the better. But I can’t fight every battle every day. So, we’ve tossed the plastic Tupperware and drinking cups, even though the water bottles that hold our water (not individual bottles, but 3-gallon refillable bottles) are suspect. There’s no non-stick among my cookware, but we still microwave leftovers once a week. I use canvas shopping bags and produce bags, but have been known to buy boxed cereal and Fig Newmans.
It’s a growing thing. I’ve grown a lot in the last 15 months. And I can’t begin to imagine where I will be 15 months from now. That’s the problem with education. You never really know where you’re going if you’re learning every day.
Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins by ~ The Purple Foodie ~, on Flickr
Ratio is a book that appeals to my left-brain way of thinking. I am accustomed to keeping a scale in the kitchen for my soapmaking attempts, so the method Ruhlman recommends of using weights instead of volumes is not entirely foreign to me. And I must admit that the recipes I have attempted using his ratios have turned out perfectly every time. It was from his calculations I first really mastered hollandaise, mayonnaise and bearnaise.
But let’s face it, a book is a book. You can scribble in the margins, but there is only so much room in a margin. And a book won’t help you calculate a ratio of four ingredients at 8, 4, 2 and 1 parts where 1 part is .27 of an ounce. Yeah, I should be able to do this in my head, but let’s face it, when juggling a barely-simmering pot, a handful of kids and trying a recipe for the first time, there just aren’t enough brain cells left over for multiplication.
Enter the iPhone Ratio App. It’s $4.99 in the iTunes store in the Lifestyle section. (Please forgive my inability to post screenshots, there are some good ones on the iTunes site. Ruhlman has also posted a short video on his site of the app in action.)
What I love:
- First, I have to applaud the beautiful interface. From the opening screen to the large, clear ratio wheel and stunning photos, this is a first-class app.
- The ratios feature real food! Butter, cream and eggs are recommended without a blush or apology.
- In the “About” section, there is a category where you can view Ruhlman’s recent blog posts which reference Ratio.
- The Settings allow for default units and measures, so if you just can’t make the jump from volume to weight, you can still use the app.
- Each ratio comes with a pie chart, viewable at a distance, if that’s all you require. There is also a nifty calculator that allows you to enter the exact weight of a single ingredient and all other ingredients scale themselves appropriately. Super handy for calculating the exact amount of oil when you are dealing with a single egg yolk for mayonnaise. There is also a detail screen that provides instructions and options for tweaking a recipe toward heat, sweet, etc.
- I love the feature “My Recipes” which allows me to personalize a ratio, add notes and save it. If something turns out perfectly, I can name it and that recipe will always be right there ready for me in proportions that fit my family.
- There are categories for doughs, batters, custards, fat-based sauces, stocks and thickeners, meat-related ratios (think sausage) and dessert sauces, the major categories covered in the book. Within each category are anywhere from 2 to 10 recipes.
What I’d change:
- Oh, please add more! I’d like to see a ratio for sourdough bread products. As I experiment with soaked grain I’ve been adding notes on adjusting the ratios. Of course, it would be incredible if Ruhlman would bring his expertise to soaked grains, but that’s not his thing so I’m not holding my breath.
- I’d like to see more international ratios: curries, Thai ginger mixes, jerk seasonings, tempura batter etc.
- I’d like the ability to add my own ratios (would be helpful for my soaked grain recipes) and to share those with others. The increased functionality of importing other users’ ratios would make this app a kitchen essential.
How I use it:
- Of course, I use this right in the kitchen! The ratios are very basic, and include ingredients I normally have on hand, but from time to time I’ll check a ratio in the grocery store as I purchase the freshest ingredients for a meal. Berries in season? Top with Creme Anglaise: 4 parts cream, 1 part egg yolk, 1 part sugar. Ooh! The details suggest adding a vanilla bean! It’s far easier to use on the fly like that than a written recipe.
- Like most everything that happens in my house, Ratio is a great learning tool for my kids. I’m not sure they will ever memorize the ratios, but the details section is great for explaining how pizza dough is related to bread dough; what veggies in what proportion to add to stock; and how to turn pan juice into gravy.
I’ll be honest with you. I picked up Ratio at a bookstore and skimmed through it. I had the money in my pocket but just couldn’t see me using the book on a regular basis, so it went back on the shelf. This app I dropped $5 on I have used almost twice a week for several months now. It’s a winner!
As is true of all my posts, I do not accept compensation for my reviews. No one has approached me and requested this review, and I did not receive a “reviewer copy” of the program.
This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays, hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop!
The Dark Side of Fat Loss
