Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking

Last year, I singled out Michael Ruhlman's Ratio as my cookbook of the year. I still stand by that decision.

Today, Michael Ruhlmam announced the release of the Ratio app for Android devices. I quickly downloaded it, and it is pretty keen. It seems to include a lot of the content from the book. More importantly, it has an interactive tool that is incredibly useful.

This year we've seen a ton of great cookbooks come out. Many of them have been gorgeous. Several of them have been extremely useful.

There is one cookbook that came out in 2009 that is notable despite the fact that it isn't gorgeous. It isn't a hefty tome filled with full color pictures. It is a small, slim, no-frills book that is designed to be used.

That book is Michael Ruhlman's Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, and it is my pick for the best cookbook of the year.