This task begins by prompting for the file name. Files that exist already will be listed and the one desired selected. If the new… choice is selected a new file name needs to be entered. New file names must start with a letter, have no spaces within the name and have 8 characters (letters or numbers) or less.
Recipe files can contain the definition of many recipes. Each recipe is identified by a code of up to 7 digits. As recipe files may eventually be converted to foods it is a good idea to use the same convention for their codes as are used for food codes.
A food code is entered here. If the code exists already, the next prompt will be the options prompt where the recipe information can be modified. Otherwise a message will appear prompting for the creation of a recipe. Again, the options prompt will appear allowing the entry of recipe information.
The various parts of a recipe can be defined using the recipe options listed here. The ingredient editing options change the same ingredient data, there are two ways of editing these for convenience.
Attributes define a recipes profile. There can be two preparations for each recipe to be used as desired. Some will use preparion one for imperial units and preparation two for metric units. Some will use preparation one for a recipe with a small number of servings and preparation two for a much larger number of servings. Each preparation has its own profile and its own quantities for each ingredients. Other uses of preparations are up to the imagination and needs of the user. Of course, a single preparation can be used as well.
The fields defining a recipe are as follows:
- Recipe name: A description for the recipe. Remember this will also be used as a description for the food if the recipe data is ever converted to a food.
- Remarks: Any remark specific to this recipe. It serves as additional documentation to the recipe and is not used in conversion to a food and is an optional field.
- Hints line 1::Any hint specific to this recipe. It serves as additional documentation to the recipe and is not used in conversion to a food. Also an optional field.
- Target % H2O: This is used to compensate for cooking method. The recipe nutrient data will be adjusted to force this % moisture in the final recipe. It consists of a single number like 8.5 or 10 or 33.8, etc. It this field is not used for target moisture it can be used for additional hint data and is an optional field.
- Where used:,Product Group:,Main Product: These are arbitraty and optional descriptions used to further define the profile of recipes. To use these fields as selectors in future report groupings a consistent set of descriptions must be developed and used.
- Number of servings: A number, required to calculate nutrients per serving.
- Serving size: Specified in grams.
- Unit of measure: This is always 0, the unit code for grams.
- Density: If known, is entered here as a number of grams per 100 ml. Is used in conversion to food. A food with a density can be used with volumetric units.
- Dates: The date created is automatically entered here. The other dates are optional and can serve as record keeping to monitor the progress of the recipe through its phases. Dates are entered using the format yyyymmdd.
- Recipe Type Code: These codes are arbitraty and optional and can be used as selectors in future report groupings. This requires a consistent set of descriptions to be developed and used
- Preparation Time (mins): A number of minutes, again, used as selectors in future report groupings
Ingredients are inserted and modified using either of the two following panels. Fields describing each ingredient are:
- Ingredient code: Ingredient codes come from food files and must exist there before they are used. Food codes for ingredients are found using the F6 information key with a keyword search term. Multiple keywords can be used. If seperated by spaces each keyword must be present, separated by commas, one or the other keyword can be present. The result of the search is a list of foods satisfying the search parameters. Choosing the desired food inserts its code in the ingredient code field.
- Unit code: This code is specific to the ingredient and a list of possible codes are accessed using the F6 information key. Choosing the desired unit code inserts its code int he unit field.
- Quantity: This is the quantity of the ingredient required for the recipe in “unit code” units.
- The E/F and the % Yield fields are not presently used and are reserved. The concept behind the E/F field was as an “each” parameter as in each of the servings would have this quantity of the ingredient. The total quantity of the ingredient would thus depend on the recipe’s profile information.
The above panel consists of multiple lines of entry per ingredient. As you tab from field to field you will see the space highlighted for each.
The above panel consists of a single line of entry per ingredient. Again, As you tab from field to field you will see the space highlighted for each.
The preparation panel is used to describe the preparation of the recipe. It is mostly meant to be used in managing cookbooks and is not used in the conversion of recipes to food codes. It consists of arbitrary text and it too is an optional field.
Once all the data has been entered pressing the Esc key will save all the recipe data automatically and navigate back to the previous step or menu.