Formulation Recipe Instruction Style Guide

This style guide establishes procedural writing standards for culinary formulas and kitchen preparation methods in Formulation, adapting the Microsoft Style Guide for Step-by-Step Instructions and related procedural principles to commercial culinary workflows.

1. Core Principles

A. Use Imperative Verb Forms

In technical and culinary procedures, readers scan instructions to execute immediate actions. Begin each step with a direct, active verb.

Do: "In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder."
Do: "Preheat the deck oven to 450 °F (232 °C)."
Don't: "Dry ingredients should be mixed." (Passive voice)
Don't: "Mixing the dry ingredients." (Gerund fragment)
Don't: "Next, you will want to whisk the flour..." (Conversational filler)

B. Place Conditions and Locations First

State prerequisites, equipment, or locations before the action so the cook prepares the workstation before executing the step.

Do: "In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water and yeast."
Do: "On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal portions."
Do: "If the sauce begins to separate, whisk in 1 tablespoon of warm water."
Don't: "Combine the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook."
Don't: "Divide the dough into 8 equal portions on a lightly floured surface."

C. Maintain Parallel Grammatical Structure

All steps in a numbered sequence must follow a consistent grammatical pattern.

Do:
1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Whisk the eggs and milk in a separate pitcher.
3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.
Don't:
1. Combine the dry ingredients.
2. Eggs and milk are whisked together.
3. Pouring the liquid into dry ingredients.

D. Single Action Units

Limit each numbered entry to one cohesive operational step. Combine only closely coupled micro-actions occurring at the same station.

Do:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the diced onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Don't:
1. Heat the oil, chop and cook the onions until translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute before pouring in the stock.

E. Include Sensory Criteria and Measurable Targets

Pair time and temperature measurements with visual, tactile, or olfactory checkpoints.

Do: "Bake at 375 °F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean."
Do: "Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half."
Don't: "Bake for a while until done."
Don't: "Cook for 20 minutes." (Lacks target consistency cue)

2. Formatting, Capitalization, and Punctuation

Element	Format Rule	Example
Step Sentence	Capitalize first word; end with a period.	`Transfer the dough to a clean, oiled bowl.`
Section Headings	Sentence case or Title case; must end with a colon `:`.	`For the dough:` / `To bake and finish:`
Inline Prep Notes	Wrapped in parentheses `(...)`; italicized in UI.	`(Note: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking.)`
Temperatures	Number followed by degree symbol and scale (`°F`, `°C`).	`375 °F (190 °C)`
Dimensions & Times	Standard units with spaces; hyphenated when modifying nouns.	`1/2-inch dice` / `2 to 3 minutes`
Critical Control Points (CCP)	Prefix with `[CCP]` followed by regulatory threshold.	`[CCP] Hold hot at 135 °F (57 °C) or above.`

3. Sectioning Complex Multi-Stage Recipes

When a recipe consists of more than 5 to 7 steps, organize the procedure into logical stages using section headers ending with a colon:

steps:
  - id: step_01
    order: 1
    instruction: "For the dough:"
  - id: step_02
    order: 2
    instruction: "In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt."
  - id: step_03
    order: 3
    instruction: "Add the warm water and mix on low speed for 6 minutes."
  - id: step_04
    order: 4
    instruction: "To proof and shape:"
  - id: step_05
    order: 5
    instruction: "Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature."
  - id: step_06
    order: 6
    instruction: "Divide the dough into 12 equal rounds and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan."
  - id: step_07
    order: 7
    instruction: "To bake:"
  - id: step_08
    order: 8
    instruction: "Bake at 425 °F for 18 to 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown."

4. UI Reference Conventions (Help Docs & Application Copy)

When writing help articles or in-app instructions describing user interactions with Formulation:

Bold UI Names: Always bold buttons, fields, tabs, and menu items (e.g. Save, Prep Method, Total Yield).
Use "Select": Use Select rather than Click, Click on, or Tap.
Use "Enter": Use Enter rather than Type in or Input.
Use "Go to": Use Go to for tab or page navigation (e.g. "Go to Recipes > New Recipe").
Avoid UI Jargon: Avoid referring to dialog boxes, blades, or dropdown menus unless essential for clarity.

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