#batch-cooking

Efficient batch sauce prep for week. Sauces: 1. Marinara (pasta, pizza). 2. Vinaigrette (salads). 3. Teriyaki (stir-fry). 4. Garlic-herb butter (vegetables, bread). 5. Tahini dressing (bowls). Portions: 1-cup jars, label and date. Storage: refrigerate 5-7 days, freeze 3 months. Sunday routine: 2-3 hours, make all sauces, portion proteins, chop vegetables. Benefits: saves time, reduces takeout, consistent flavors. Equipment: food processor, immersion blender, mason jars. Explain time-blocking and food safety storage guidelines.

Scale recipes accurately for catering. Scaling factor: desired servings ÷ original servings. Multiply all ingredients by factor. Challenges: 1. Spices scale at 50-75% (not linear). 2. Thickeners (flour, cornstarch) at 80%. 3. Leavening agents carefully. 4. Salt to taste. 5. Cooking time: doesn't double with quantity. Equipment limits: oven capacity, mixing bowl size. Test small batch first. Baker's percentage for bread: all ingredients as % of flour weight. Explain why some ingredients don't scale linearly and surface area vs volume ratio.