Step 3: Food Selection

The 3rd step is food selection. From your menu, you must choose one menu item and prepare your “favorite food”. At the contest, you will display your prepared food. The food can be displayed as a whole product or as one serving. You will need the recipe for the menu item chosen.

WRITING THE RECIPE

An important part of food preparation is recipe selection. A recipe tells which ingredients to use and how to put them together.  Knowing how to interpret the symbols and terms and how to use the recipe will help create a successful product.  Be sure to choose recipes that fit your food preparation skills.  

There are many ways to write a recipe, however, the most common and easiest to understand style is the Standard Form.

Standard Form gives the ingredients first, then the method. The list shows what is needed to make the recipe. Exact measurements and terminology should be given.

  1. The most widely used and easily read form. Excellent for recipes containing many ingredients.
  2. List all ingredients first, including any modifications of the ingredient. For instance, if your recipe requires 1 cup chopped nuts — the nuts should be measured after chopping. However, if the ingredients list is 1 cup nuts chopped — the nuts are measured first, then chopped.
  3. The method of combining the ingredients follows the listing. It may be stated in paragraph or number steps.

Example of a recipe written in the standard form:

WAFFLES

 

1 3/4 cups sifted enriched flour                           1 1/4 cups milk

3 teaspoons baking powder                               1/2 cup melted shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt                                               2 stiff-beaten egg whites 2 beaten egg yolks

Preheat waffle iron. Sift dry ingredients; stir in combined egg yolk, milk and shortening. Fold In egg whites. Bake in hot waffle iron. Makes 8

OR

  1. Preheat waffle iron.
  2. Sift dry ingredients into bowl.
  3. Combine egg yolks, milk and shortening.
  4. Stir into dry ingredients.
  5. Fold in beaten egg whites.
  6. Bake in hot waffle iron.

Makes 8 waffles

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RECIPE

  • It should be accurate and complete. 
  • It should be simple and clear.
  • It should list all ingredients in the order used.
  • It should give exact measurements in the easiest unit of measure (i.e. 1/4 cup, not 4 Tablespoons)
  • If possible, in the space allowed, do not abbreviate.
  • Use weights for meat, when possible.
  • Use weight or fluid measure of canned foods (don’t say “one can pineapple,” say “one 12 ounce can of pineapple”)
  • Use short sentences and clear, simple descriptions of methods.
  • Give word pictures, if possible (foamy, syrupy, lemon-colored).
  • Specify pan sizes.
  • Give total yield of number of servings and state serving size.

Favorite Foods Revue Booklet