# Recipe Writing Guide — Crimson Leaf Publishing

This guide is authoritative for all recipe content produced at CLP.
Every agent writing or editing recipes must read and apply this guide.

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## The Philosophy of a Good Recipe

A recipe is a promise: "If you do exactly what I say, it will work."

Every element of a recipe — the headnote, the ingredient list, the method, the variations —
exists to deliver on that promise with clarity, warmth, and precision.

The best recipe writing:
- Treats the reader as an intelligent adult who has never made this particular dish
- Gives them the "why" behind the critical steps (not just the "what")
- Sounds like a knowledgeable friend standing in the kitchen with them
- Is tested, precise, and honest about difficulty

---

## Document Structure

A CLP recipe follows this exact structure:

```
# [Recipe Title]
*[One-line descriptor]*

## Headnote
[2–4 paragraphs]

**Prep time:** X min
**Cook time:** X min
**Total time:** X min
**Yield:** X servings
**Difficulty:** Easy / Medium / Hard

## Ingredients
[Ingredient list]

## Method
[Numbered steps]

## Variations
[2–3 variations]

## Storage & Reheating
[Short paragraph]

## Pairing Suggestion (optional)
[One sentence]
```

---

## Title

**Specific is better than clever.** The title should tell the reader exactly what they're getting,
and ideally make them hungry.

- Bad: "Easy Pasta Dish"
- Bad: "Nonna's Secret" (too vague)
- Good: "Crispy Shallot Pasta with Brown Butter and Sage"
- Good: "One-Pan Lemon Chicken Thighs with Roasted Fennel"

Include a key technique, hero ingredient, or flavor profile in the title.

---

## Headnote

The headnote is your opening paragraph(s). It is NOT optional.
It is the part of the recipe that makes someone stop scrolling and say "I need to make this."

### What a Headnote Does
1. **Earns the reader's attention** — tell a brief story, share a memory, or describe the sensory experience
2. **Sets expectations** — what does this taste like? What occasion is it for?
3. **Delivers one critical tip** — the single most important thing the cook should know before they start

### What a Headnote Does NOT Do
- Provide the full recipe history (one sentence of origin is enough)
- List every health benefit
- Explain what the dish is (the title did that)
- Run longer than 4 paragraphs

### Voice in the Headnote
Sound like a friend who has made this dish a hundred times. Warm, specific, and confident.
First person is appropriate ("I first made this during a power outage and now I make it every week").
Avoid the third person editorial ("This recipe is beloved by many").

---

## Ingredients List

### Format Rules
- List in order of use (this alone prevents 80% of cooking errors)
- Group ingredients by component if the recipe has distinct parts (e.g., "For the marinade:", "For the salad:")
- **Standard measurements**: cups, tablespoons (tbsp), teaspoons (tsp), fluid ounces (fl oz), ounces (oz), grams (g), pounds (lb)
- Include the **preparation note** after the ingredient: "2 cloves garlic, minced" not "2 minced cloves garlic"
- Specify form: "1 cup flour (scooped and leveled)" for baking precision
- Range quantities when flexibility is real: "2–3 tbsp olive oil"

### Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ambiguous cuts: "1 onion, chopped" — how fine? Specify "finely diced" or "roughly chopped"
- Unlisted options: if a garnish is optional, mark it "(optional)"
- Missing prep: don't list "2 eggs" if you need them at room temperature — say so
- Inconsistent units: don't switch between metric and imperial mid-recipe

---

## Method

### The One-Step-One-Action Rule
Each numbered step should contain ONE primary action.
If a step contains "and then," it usually needs to be split.

Good: "1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact."
Bad: "1. Heat the skillet, add oil, and when it shimmers, add the garlic and stir constantly for 2 minutes until golden."

### Sensory Cues Are Mandatory
Home cooks don't trust timers — they trust what they see, smell, and hear.
Every step where timing matters must include a sensory cue:
- "until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes"
- "until a knife slides in with no resistance, 20–25 minutes"
- "until the sauce coats the back of a spoon"

### Temperature Language
- Specify exact oven temperatures (°F and °C both, when space allows)
- For stovetop: describe heat visually (oil shimmering, butter foaming, pan smoking lightly)
- "Medium heat" is vague — use it only when the exact level doesn't matter critically

### Yield Check
The method must produce the yield stated in the metadata. Do not write a recipe for
"4 servings" that clearly makes 6.

---

## Variations

Every recipe must include 2–3 variations. These are not afterthoughts — they expand the
recipe's usefulness and show the cook how to think about the dish, not just execute it.

**Standard variations to consider:**
- **Dietary swap**: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free version
- **Budget or seasonal alternative**: swap expensive ingredient for accessible one
- **Flavor direction**: turn up the heat, add sweetness, make it more acidic
- **Equipment variation**: if the recipe requires special equipment, offer a workaround

Format each variation as a bold label followed by a short explanation:
**Make it vegan**: Replace the butter with extra-virgin olive oil and omit the Parmesan.

---

## Storage & Reheating

One paragraph, written for the practical cook:
- How long does it keep (fridge / freezer)?
- What container type?
- How to reheat without destroying texture?
- What doesn't freeze well (and why)?

---

## Difficulty Rating

| Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|
| **Easy** | Beginner-friendly; no special technique; under 30 minutes active time |
| **Medium** | Requires attention, some technique (e.g., knife work, timing), or longer passive time |
| **Hard** | Multi-stage, requires special equipment, precise technique, or significant time investment |

Be honest. A soufflé is not "Easy" because the ingredient list is short.
