264 Part 3 Ingredients, Preparation, and Presentation
Using Ratios
Ratios tell how one number is related to
another number. They can be used to describe
relationships that are “part to whole,” “part to
part,” or “whole to part.” Ratios are often used
in cooking. For example, vinaigrette is prepared
using a ratio.
One cup of vinegar plus three cups of oil yields
four cups of vinaigrette.
Ratios can be written in a number of
different ways—1:4 or 1⁄4 or one part to four
parts or simply, one to four. Therefore, the ratio
for vinaigrette can be written as 1:3.
Let’s say you need 1 gallon (128 oz.)
of vinaigrette. How would you calculate the
amounts of oil and vinegar you need? You
already know that the ratio for vinaigrette is
1 part vinegar : 3 parts oil
1:3 means there are 4 equal parts
1 + 3 = 4
Divide 128 ounces by 4 parts to fi nd how
many ounces each equal part is.
128 ounces ÷ 4 parts = 32 ounces/part
Now you know that each equal part is 32
ounces. You can solve your problem now.
1 part vinegar x 32 ounces/part = 32 ounces
of vinegar
3 parts oil x 32 ounces/part = 96 ounces oil
Double-check your work.
32 ounces vinegar + 96 ounces oil = 128
ounces vinaigrette
M i x I n M a t h M i x I n M a t h
Mayonnaise and
Emulsifi ed Dressings
When simple vinaigrette is shaken or
whipped, the oil and vinegar mix together in
microscopic droplets creating an emulsion.
An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that
don’t naturally mix such as oil and vinegar.
In an emulsion, tiny droplets of one ingre-
dient are suspended in the other. A simple
vinaigrette soon separates back to oil and
vinegar because it is a temporary emulsion.
The culinary solution to prevent oil and
vinegar from separating is to stabilize the
emulsion with egg or egg yolks. Mayonnaise
is a cold sauce that is an emulsion of oil
and vinegar stabilized with egg yolk and
mustard. To make mayonnaise, oil is formed
into tiny droplets by gradually adding it to
the other ingredients while whipping. These
tiny droplets are suspended in the water
contained in the vinegar and egg. Proteins,
found in egg yolks, keep these suspended
droplets of oil and water from separating.
Mustard is another ingredient commonly
used in mayonnaise and emulsified dress-
ings. Compounds found in mustard also
help prevent an emulsion from breaking or
separating.
Mayonnaise is an important item in the
cold kitchen because it is often used as a
base in creating dressings or cold sauces. The
quality of these preparations relies on the
quality of the mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise Proportions One key to
successful mayonnaise is the right propor-
tion of egg yolk to oil. The standard propor-
tion for making mayonnaise is one egg yolk
to one cup of oil. This ratio creates a proper
emulsion.
Fluid, pasteurized egg products are
commonly used in commercial kitchens.
Since one yolk is roughly equivalent to one
fluid ounce, the proportion is also expressed
as one ounce pasteurized egg yolk to one
cup oil.