Demoncyborg

you're defo right on some things (berry bread beats hard tack by miles for travel food) but the power of combination can make a lot of foods ridiculously powerful, like salads made with fried food battered in peanut butter, instead of syrup. peanut butter takes a lot more effort for a ridiculous amount more saturation. Gratin is easily one of the best ways to get your dairy sat increased too. I think the advantage of sausage is meant to be when you cure it + add cheese to it, it's now a protein you can add to any meal that also has additional saturations, and lasts longer!

the cauldron is for large processing of materials that you'd normally cook in the saucepan, you can't make meals in it, but stuff that goes in meals instead, like broths and syrup and candy. i think there are other mods that are compatible with this mod (afaik) that include metal cookpots that cook more servings at once

i think the first two chopped veg have to be uncooked, but i might be wrong! if that doesn't work, try using something other than cattails

i think the knife needs to be in a specific spot in the crafting grid to chop things, check the handbook and make sure it matches up if you're still struggling! if you're trying to cook, or part-bake them on their own, you need to use an oven instead. a clay oven or cauldron should cook them how you want.

rice ale is a vanilla recipe that follows the same as all the other grain ales, here's what it says on the wiki about those, so hopefully it'll help you start! grain-based ales ferment at a ratio of 5:1. 5L water and 5 flour produces 1L of ale, with a full barrel of 50L water and 50 flour producing 10L ale. as far as making things into strong, fine, and vintage versions, all alcohol in this mod now takes time to cure into those and has to age in-game in your cellar. (or, out in the open if it wont spoil)

i can't tell in the picture, but does your cauldron have any liquid inside it? that usually prevents cooking

I'd love some more mobile-survival options! I love the nomadic options this mod offers with tack and pemmican, and would love some kind of pan-bread or flatbread that I can make without an oven, only a campfire and the pan on-the-go.

i think it's required for some recipes like salad, but otherwise it's just variety, changes the visual in the pot.

unfortunately, i think the only way is to use up one of the slots. like any liquid recipe you have to use the exact amount as well