What features/recipes would you like in a new cookbook?

rise above

Thu, Feb 07 2008, 10:15 am

how about printing the nutrition facts per serving. that would make life much easier for those on diets or have family members who are Smile

SingALong

Thu, Feb 07 2008, 10:44 am

how about a crockpot section? or, with regular recipes, how to cook them in a crockpot. I see a few requests on this site about crockpot recipes. its hard to find good kosher ones.

bashinda

Thu, Feb 07 2008, 10:45 am

I would like pictures that give you steps if it's a patchke recipe like Tamar Ansh does. Otherwise personally I don't find the pictures to be that useful. I have beautiful cookbooks and I don't want to use them because they'll get dirty. My spice and spirit cookbook may be falling apart but boy have I used that cookbook. So IMO cookbooks should be functional and the pictures should also be functional. Laminating would be nice talthough the problem though is that laminated pages add bulk to the book as well as the expense but we have a book about brachos and it's laminated and it's really nice.

Also important information that is sometimes lacking in recipe books

Each recipe should include:

What pots/pans are used (the spice and spirit cookbook does this)
Servings or how many pieces it yields
Accurate nutrition information

If there are cans/jars being used be specific. Not "one can tomato sauce" but "one 15 oz can tomato sauce"

There should be a variety of difficulty levels but personally I'm with the "looks like you patchked but you didn't" variety.

Hatzlacha Raba!

amother

Thu, Feb 07 2008, 10:50 am

Nutrition facts would be nice, but how on earth do I figure it out?

anuta

Thu, Feb 07 2008, 10:54 am

amother, there are recipe organizing software packages that calculate nutrition information for you. I have NYC (Now You Are Cooking) for PC, I think it has this option; it has a nutrional/ingredient database that comes with it. Its not very expensive either (about $30 I recall?)

There are other more popular ones, like MasterCook etc., but I havent' personally tried them...

montrealmommy

Wed, Feb 13 2008, 7:45 pm

Hi there, I'm already in the middle of writting a cookbook/recipe book. It's taken me 2 years so far. This was the eitzah I received and I pass on to you - collect double to triple the amount of recipes you want to have. write them down in detail. Throw away any that seem too long/involved (keep for personal use). Disregard any with very hard to find ingredients (or very pricey ingredients) unless that is the purpose of the recipe. then begin recooking/baing recipes according to written directions (do not deviate becuase a person buying thebook may not know that after you were done you added another tsp of onion powder). Write all necessary changes. Round two of written recipe (cont. unti lyou have exactly what you want on the paper). then give the recipe (cooked by you) to 2 or 3 different people (pref. not you husband and kids if they ahve eaten every sample as they are already familiar with it's taste) - ask for feedback (honest) - make sure it tastes the way you want (fruity, spicy, mellow). then give the recipe to 1-2 people you trust to follow it exactly (taste it, does it come out the same). Now you have a winner recipe for the book. Then do this for every single recipe!!! (this is why it has taken already 2 years and I am no where near clsoe to publishing)

I agree with the pic. idea, I also like when recipes look a little funny in the making that step by step pics are done (look, in stage two it really does look like slime!).

Note: you do not have to do this long, arduous, drawn out process (I won't lie, there is very little glamorous about it), but if you do you are more guaranteed of a real success rather than a few great recipes and a lot of duds (no offense, just based on experience both personal and from others, for all I know you are a gourmet chef!, then I would look really silly)

FYI my cookbook/recipe book is allergy friendly (it's based on the experiences of my family) and also has a section on household/kitchen management and substitutions, and a "back to basics" section which includes raw ingredients and spices and their uses so people can be more creative in the kitchen by knowing what to do (not just modifying a recipe). This last section is my biggest challenge as I am trying to get at least 1 kasrus agency (pref. two or a kashrus gadol) to approve a sub section on fruits and vegetables and grains (chekcing and using).

Hatzlacha Rabba

bashinda

Wed, Feb 13 2008, 8:59 pm

Chof-K came out with a pamphlet on checking vegetables in the last few years os maybe they'd be fine?

Sounds like you're trying to do something quite comprehensive and I love the back to basics and substitutions idea.

I just remembered a helpful index is very important where you can search for it by the main ingredient.

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 9:00 am

beautiful photos are a must, its one of the reasons I love KBD and cant be bothered with S&S.

I also like the idea of explaining cooking terms and if u cud describe the type of ingredients like, is it a soft cheese or a creamy or sweet one, b/c alot of ingredients have different names in England so im not quite sure which cheese for example or what is 'broiling'? (Is it boiling? Is it grilling? I still dont know...)

Maybe u cud include a section on first foods for babies that cud then be developd into a main meal for the whole family, liek sweet potato mash for the baby then add it into a pasta sauce for the rext of the family so u dont have 2 cook twice.

Bzgirl

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:02 am

I get very frustrated when I cook or bake and I dont know what something is supposed to look like or how to do the next step....My father suggests a cook book hotline Smile

with 24 hour help while cooking and baking. I would even pay membership fees for that ;-) anyone?!

freidasima

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:07 am

Calorie count!

creativemommyto3

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:10 am

I would love to see substitutions for the expensive ingredients!

Crayon210

Wed, Aug 06 2008, 5:45 pm

bashinda wrote:

What pots/pans are used (the spice and spirit cookbook does this)

But the S & S is often not correct about what size pot or pan you need.

pacifier

Wed, Aug 06 2008, 5:59 pm

montrealmommy wrote:

FYI my cookbook/recipe book is allergy friendly (it's based on the experiences of my family) and also has a section on household/kitchen management and substitutions, and a "back to basics" section which includes raw ingredients and spices and their uses so people can be more creative in the kitchen by knowing what to do (not just modifying a recipe). This last section is my biggest challenge as I am trying to get at least 1 kasrus agency (pref. two or a kashrus gadol) to approve a sub section on fruits and vegetables and grains (chekcing and using).

Hatzlacha Rabba

I think I'm gonna order your book already!! between allergies and picky eaters (including me!), I have to be creative, and try to make simple, easy recipes that taste good and look good too!!

I actually started writing down my recipes after I create them, but I'm not the type who measure everything, so.....

bashinda

Wed, Aug 06 2008, 9:44 pm

Crayon210 wrote:

bashinda wrote:

What pots/pans are used (the spice and spirit cookbook does this)

But the S & S is often not correct about what size pot or pan you need.

I really hadn't noticed major inaccuracies with S&S. Interesting. I still like the idea, however!

Pineapple

Wed, Aug 06 2008, 9:45 pm

creativemommyto3 wrote:

I would love to see substitutions for the expensive ingredients!

Check out betty croker cookbooks it gives ideas