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175 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
175 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
# Recipe Writing Guide — Crimson Leaf Publishing
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This guide is authoritative for all recipe content produced at CLP.
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Every agent writing or editing recipes must read and apply this guide.
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---
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## The Philosophy of a Good Recipe
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A recipe is a promise: "If you do exactly what I say, it will work."
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Every element of a recipe — the headnote, the ingredient list, the method, the variations —
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exists to deliver on that promise with clarity, warmth, and precision.
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The best recipe writing:
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- Treats the reader as an intelligent adult who has never made this particular dish
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- Gives them the "why" behind the critical steps (not just the "what")
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- Sounds like a knowledgeable friend standing in the kitchen with them
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- Is tested, precise, and honest about difficulty
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---
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## Document Structure
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A CLP recipe follows this exact structure:
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```
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# [Recipe Title]
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*[One-line descriptor]*
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## Headnote
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[2–4 paragraphs]
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**Prep time:** X min
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**Cook time:** X min
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**Total time:** X min
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**Yield:** X servings
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**Difficulty:** Easy / Medium / Hard
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## Ingredients
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[Ingredient list]
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## Method
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[Numbered steps]
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## Variations
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[2–3 variations]
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## Storage & Reheating
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[Short paragraph]
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## Pairing Suggestion (optional)
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[One sentence]
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```
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---
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## Title
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**Specific is better than clever.** The title should tell the reader exactly what they're getting,
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and ideally make them hungry.
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- Bad: "Easy Pasta Dish"
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- Bad: "Nonna's Secret" (too vague)
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- Good: "Crispy Shallot Pasta with Brown Butter and Sage"
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- Good: "One-Pan Lemon Chicken Thighs with Roasted Fennel"
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Include a key technique, hero ingredient, or flavor profile in the title.
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---
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## Headnote
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The headnote is your opening paragraph(s). It is NOT optional.
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It is the part of the recipe that makes someone stop scrolling and say "I need to make this."
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### What a Headnote Does
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1. **Earns the reader's attention** — tell a brief story, share a memory, or describe the sensory experience
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2. **Sets expectations** — what does this taste like? What occasion is it for?
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3. **Delivers one critical tip** — the single most important thing the cook should know before they start
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### What a Headnote Does NOT Do
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- Provide the full recipe history (one sentence of origin is enough)
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- List every health benefit
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- Explain what the dish is (the title did that)
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- Run longer than 4 paragraphs
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### Voice in the Headnote
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Sound like a friend who has made this dish a hundred times. Warm, specific, and confident.
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First person is appropriate ("I first made this during a power outage and now I make it every week").
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Avoid the third person editorial ("This recipe is beloved by many").
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---
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## Ingredients List
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### Format Rules
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- List in order of use (this alone prevents 80% of cooking errors)
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- Group ingredients by component if the recipe has distinct parts (e.g., "For the marinade:", "For the salad:")
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- **Standard measurements**: cups, tablespoons (tbsp), teaspoons (tsp), fluid ounces (fl oz), ounces (oz), grams (g), pounds (lb)
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- Include the **preparation note** after the ingredient: "2 cloves garlic, minced" not "2 minced cloves garlic"
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- Specify form: "1 cup flour (scooped and leveled)" for baking precision
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- Range quantities when flexibility is real: "2–3 tbsp olive oil"
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### Common Mistakes to Avoid
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- Ambiguous cuts: "1 onion, chopped" — how fine? Specify "finely diced" or "roughly chopped"
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- Unlisted options: if a garnish is optional, mark it "(optional)"
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- Missing prep: don't list "2 eggs" if you need them at room temperature — say so
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- Inconsistent units: don't switch between metric and imperial mid-recipe
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---
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## Method
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### The One-Step-One-Action Rule
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Each numbered step should contain ONE primary action.
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If a step contains "and then," it usually needs to be split.
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Good: "1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact."
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Bad: "1. Heat the skillet, add oil, and when it shimmers, add the garlic and stir constantly for 2 minutes until golden."
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### Sensory Cues Are Mandatory
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Home cooks don't trust timers — they trust what they see, smell, and hear.
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Every step where timing matters must include a sensory cue:
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- "until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes"
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- "until a knife slides in with no resistance, 20–25 minutes"
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- "until the sauce coats the back of a spoon"
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### Temperature Language
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- Specify exact oven temperatures (°F and °C both, when space allows)
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- For stovetop: describe heat visually (oil shimmering, butter foaming, pan smoking lightly)
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- "Medium heat" is vague — use it only when the exact level doesn't matter critically
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### Yield Check
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The method must produce the yield stated in the metadata. Do not write a recipe for
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"4 servings" that clearly makes 6.
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---
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## Variations
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Every recipe must include 2–3 variations. These are not afterthoughts — they expand the
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recipe's usefulness and show the cook how to think about the dish, not just execute it.
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**Standard variations to consider:**
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- **Dietary swap**: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free version
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- **Budget or seasonal alternative**: swap expensive ingredient for accessible one
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- **Flavor direction**: turn up the heat, add sweetness, make it more acidic
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- **Equipment variation**: if the recipe requires special equipment, offer a workaround
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Format each variation as a bold label followed by a short explanation:
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**Make it vegan**: Replace the butter with extra-virgin olive oil and omit the Parmesan.
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---
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## Storage & Reheating
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One paragraph, written for the practical cook:
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- How long does it keep (fridge / freezer)?
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- What container type?
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- How to reheat without destroying texture?
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- What doesn't freeze well (and why)?
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---
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## Difficulty Rating
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| Rating | What It Means |
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| **Easy** | Beginner-friendly; no special technique; under 30 minutes active time |
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| **Medium** | Requires attention, some technique (e.g., knife work, timing), or longer passive time |
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| **Hard** | Multi-stage, requires special equipment, precise technique, or significant time investment |
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Be honest. A soufflé is not "Easy" because the ingredient list is short.
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