Look at Book Outlet an Amazon. I bought a copy at one of those for less than $5. I wasn't sure if it would be for me, one of my boys or both ('nother copy). Not planned for Christmas either way, so I have some time to explore it further.

I hadn't looked at the copyright date and had no idea this book has been out as long as it has. Oh, well, its new to me! Thanks for the tip, lascatx!

I only heard of it recently too. I also got The Elements of Cooking at the same time.

There was some grousing when it came out because more of the information is very old (as in not breaking any new ground), and some of it isn't as detailed as it might be, but that's the whole point! Famous chef with trusted name packages the concept of ratios in an accessible form for the casual cook. I think it's a good book.

One thing to remember, however, is that cooking is an art and ratios are science. Same as, when tuning, you need to temper a piano, not just tune to mathematically correct frequencies. Same as, when drawing, an eye is an eye apart, and the vertical face is divided into three equal sections...except when they aren't. It's the deviations from the stated rules that bring out the character and interest. Too far from the rule, you get ugly, but don't be thinking that the rule can't be adjusted to suit you.

BTW, Grainlady often gives the home cooking versions of ratios. Brava, Grainlady!

I love all of Michael Ruhlman's books! Ratio is one of my favorites; got it on amazon.com (used) for less than $5 with shipping--I've ordered just about all of his books on chef/cooking and they are in the prime spot on my kitchen cookbook shelf! With Ratio and several of his other books, I have given away my of my cookbooks.

I have it, too. I like his books and found that one useful even though it didn't break new ground. But that was when I was still baking. . .

This post was edited by kitchendetective on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 13:13

I keep saying I'm going to make the sponge cake. Perhaps I'll do it today!

Can/will someone please describe what the texture/taste of a sponge cake is like? If I've ever seen or eaten it, I wasn't aware it was a sponge cake. How does it compare to an angel food or pound cake?

Sponge is nothing like pound cake.

Angel food is in the same family. Angel is made with egg whites only, and absolutely no fat. Sponge cakes are made from separated eggs and the yolks are the fat.

Sponge cake is sugary and light and spongy, and feels like you're biting into air, which you are because there are all those little air capsules in the egg whites. It's not as evident if you have a proper serving and use a fork, but if you bite into a slice, it compresses, and you can even feel the air escaping, which is why these cakes are often called "foams".

If you've had a good, homemade Angel Food (I've seen ones so called sold at the store that are full of chemicals and who knows what kind of texture they have!), imagine something beiger, and a bit sweeter, with a moister, stronger crumb, a bit less height, and probably more whoosh when you bite.

Joy of Baking has a great article on the whole class of egg rising foam cakes.

Thanks, Pillog! I have had good homemade Angel Food and am thinking I should bake a Sponge cake, just out of curiosity, to experience the taste/texture. I can really get into baking/cooking this time of year.

This post was edited by lizbeth-gardener on Sun, Jan 18, 15 at 22:45