How are you?

On recipe ingredient lists

When shopping from a recipe’s ingredient list I find it bothersome if each line doesn’t begin with the ingredient – the first thing I care about is what the ingredient is, followed by the quantity.

For example, consider the following list of ingredients:

  • 2 medium onions
  • 1 large carrot
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic

Rearranged ingredient first, the following is much more readable:

  • Onions, 2 medium, diced small
  • Carrot, 1 large, cubed
  • Garlic, 3 cloves, minced

In addition, by adding the preparation the reader is able to prepare all the ingredients in advance, before the cooking takes place – helping create a mise en place.

Ingredient, Quantity, Preparation.