platefullofmemories

Family Memories and Recipes!

Hella — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:46:20 GMT

This is the first thing I have written since May when I started my summer vacation. It is also the last thing that I will be posting on my blog Plate Full of Memories. I enjoyed writing about food and the great memories that come with the foods of our heritage for that last five years.

I spent the day canning. I put up three quarts of homemade tomato soup, three bottles of green tomato pickles and three bottles of cucumber pickles. While putting the juice on the pickles for canning I thought of Omi and Opi’s pickles. They always had a large jar of pickles in their back bedroom fridgerator but I don’t think they were dill but I remember seeing some dill and mustard seeds in the jar. Growing up I never would of have thought to ask for the pickle recipes. For the life of me I can not remember if I liked them or not. I know that I ate them but I can not describe the flavor to you. I just know they were always there.

We used to go there almost every Saturday afternoon. The first thing I would do was go into the bedroom and grab a small Coke from that fridge. I do not remember too much else in that back fridge. I just know they always had the small bottles of Coke when the rest of the world had much larger bottles.

I do remember that Opa had a broom handle across from the fridge where he had smoke meat hung. It was a special treat for him to cut a piece off but that was never done on Shabbos so you had to visit some other day to get some of the meat. What a strange family where the grandchildren not only enjoyed smoke meat (rouch fleich) but we thought it a special treat.

Saturday afternoons there were different from other families. At times it felt like a big weight to make sure we went for a few hours when their were better things to do with our friends. But now I look back on those times a really think it was special since we all spent time playing with each other and got to know each other. Most people I know today don’t know their cousins very well and here we are spread all over and still keep in contact. The part I really like is that we share some of the same memories from being kids. How special is that? I might not have her recipes but I think they left us something more special.

If you still would like to purchase the CD Plate Full of Memories go to the http://lifestorytriggers.com/wordpress to see how you can order yours!

Mother's Day Musings and More

Hella — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:39:00 GMT

Mother’s Day is this weekend. And you are trying to find a gift that is perfect for Mom but you are having trouble figuring our what to get a women who buys what she needs and really doesn’t ever want anything else. I have solution that fits any size and works for any age, a family recipe cookbook that will highlight Mom’s recipes. Okay it will not be ready for this weekend but you can buy all the elements for your cookbook and show Mom the intention of creating this book in her honor. I think she may like it. It is worth a try….

Thanks JB Biersdorfer of the NY Times for your tip of the week today. Google has created a feature that caters to cooks. When you search dish or an ingredient, Google gives your first batch of results and then presents a recipe option in the list of categories in the column in the left side of the page. You can click the more button if you not like what you see. Here is the cool part—you can filter the results by cooking time, calories and ingredients. Google has more information at

www.goggle.com/landing/recipes. He mentions that other search engines have recipe help—Bing and Yahoo have recipe help with key word.

As Farmers Market open up in the next few weeks, depending on where you, most of the fruits and veggies were not grown in your area. In Minnesota our trees are just budding, lilacs will be out in 4 weeks so veggies found at these markets are not grown in an outside garden but a green house to be local. For my friends in the south this might not be the case but I stress asking where the fruits and vegetables were grown. We all want our Farmers Markets feature local fair most of the year and use local green houses early on to fill the gaps but not use those bought at the warehouses where the local grocery stores purchase theirs. There needs to be local feel and reward for those markets that feature local growers and it is up to use to enforce it with our dollars.

Quick mention, I will be gone next week and not be writing this blog. I hope all the Mothers have a great Mother’s Day and enjoy their families with love from the kitchen and a favorite recipe,

Family Reunion Time--Planning Makes it Great

Hella — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:17:00 GMT

Family Reunion need great planning to make a great event so if you have never done one maybe next year!

So your family has decided that this is the year that you are all going to get together. for a family reunion but that is as far as you have gotten. No dates have been chosen nor hotels have been booked. All you know is you want to get together this year.

May I suggest a reality check. Most reunions take months of planning and that is even if your family decided to hire a reunion planner it takes months There are great websites to help you with your plans but if this is the first time your family has decide to do a reunion, I say make it for next year and start doing all your planning now. Some places are listed below that can help you start.

The better the plan and the better the party. The best you can hope for is a family get together for this summer which might be where you might get your worker bees for this event. There is so much to do, that the more family members that can help can really make it a reality when one person takes the lead who can really lead chosen to make sure everything is being planned that needs to be and those plans are being implemented—a great reunion next may be had.

I discuss this since many reunions have heirloom cookbooks for fundraisers at their reunion or as gifts for the families. It can take months to create one and in some families years. So get started now with the plans and then execute a great family cookbook with family favorite recipes that will treasures by the members of your family for years to come.

You make want to check out Reunions Magazine http://www.reunions.com/familyreunions/family_activities.html

Their podcast may give you ideas too www.reunionsmag.com/podcast/ class="f"> -

or these other websites

www.family-reunion.com/chklist.htm

www.reunion-memory-book.com/support

and don’t forget to order your copy of platefullofmemories to help with your cookbook!

Some chamber of commerces have point persons to help. The Meet Minneapolis group part of the convention and visitors center has one person who helps with just reunions. They want to help to bring people into their towns. And have an enjoyable experience there too.

Cookbook Confusion-Digital Recipes or Book Format

Hella — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:36:49 GMT

I am confused. For years I have been teaching people how to create heirloom cookbooks with family favorite recipes. The classes have focused on printed books but the more I think about the subject and read what others are writing, it seems more of the conversation should be moving to electronic.

Last week Jim Buchta, of the Minneapolis Star Tribune wrote a very compelling article that really had me thinking outside my box. Jump-start your favorite recipes. Who needs cookbooks or magazines when you have a computer? www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/119333649.html

He broke it down on why to go digital. The pros he said were you would have all your recipes on your laptop. No more stacks of magazines or books but the key for me was the ability to search with words your documents. I do not keep magazines. I clip out the recipes I want to use and put them in a notebook and search them the old fashion way by hand first when I am doing a menu plan. My cookbooks are all in the bookcase that is solely saved for cookbooks. I am thinking about cleaning out some books I was given over the years that I will never use to make space for the new books that I keep on getting and are not filed correctly.

His cons were that they were not as much fun or practical since you could not take it to the bathtub to read. I do not think I have ever taken a cookbook to the tub but I might have. He said that electronic recipes do not develop any character I am not sure about since you can have a video of Grandma cooking or baking. Few cookbooks have a digital counterpart and many magazines and newspapers have easy to search recipes.

He does state that he is not going to get rid of his cookbooks and it sounds like he has collected some very old and interesting ones. He is going to shift his recipes to his computer.

I think I am a half step a head of him in the thought that heirloom cookbooks need to be printed to be featured with the other cookbooks one owns and kept special. I think if you are lucky enough to have the elders in your family around to have them video how-to- cook some of those family favorite recipes and then have flap in your printed book where you can insert the video on a DVD. More and more websites are adding videos and I think we will be seeing more inserted into family cookbooks.
Now for everyday recipes, I think the jury is still out on what format to store your recipes. So I still stay confused.

Ancient Holiday Adapts with New Recipes- Passover Made Modern

Hella — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:18:00 GMT

Passover starts next Monday night and the holidays last until the following  Tuesday night. The first two nights are Seders, which really are family  feasts that center on reading the text, The Haggadah, explaining the  festival. At my home we still use the Maxwell House ones that were used in  our family for the last 40 years. I have still have 10 so that everyone is  reading from the same booklet.

 Most people understand that you do not eat leaven bread for the week. But  that is really an understatement of what you can or cannot eat any grains that could be used in leavening. That means no corn, wheat or barely. If your family is from Spain or Sephardic you can eat rice but if you are from Western Europe or Ashkenazi you can’t. We all can eat quinoas that originated in South America and wild rice that originated in North America since these are all seeds from grasses. Where your family comes from and where you live really has a great influence in the meals you can prepare. Each year I try to create new recipes that keep me interested to keep the holiday and not break any of the rules.

That means I have been frantically looking on the web for new recipes and looking at new sites that might add a variety of insights. I was blown away when I read one that had a recipe for challah--that is a big no no. Leaven bread on a holiday that is  about non-leaven bread. Some one did not do their research.

 Bon Appétit gets it when they feature a recipe for fluffy matzo balls.http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/guides/passover. They had some of these  recipes in this month's mailed issue also but their website gives more  recipes. Most of the things highlighted were for the Seder and not your  regular meals. I have come to rely on the New York Times Passover Recipe Cookbook. It is some times my hostess gift if I am invited out during the holiday. But when I got the New York Times today, I was excited to see a new recipe from Melissa Clark for matzo Brie kicked up a notch with lox http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/dining/13appe.html?src=me&ref=style  . This is exactly what I had been searching  for. Then I was excited to see Joan Nathan’s article about eating out for  Seder with a recipe for Prune and Almond Braised Short Ribs. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/dining/13seder.html?_r=1&ref=dining  For any one who celebrates the holiday will understand prunes are a big favorite. On line you could also see articles from their archives so there were lots  of choices to increase your menu plan for the week.

If you read the article I want to explain eating out at a restaurant is not that new an idea. My family used to spend the week at hotel on vacation that was Kosher for  Passover since our family were bakers and the store was closed and that was  when our family could get away. When she was little, my mother's family went  to the Jewish Center for Passover Seder for one night. What I love is that  this holiday has changed over the last thousand years but still holds to its  core values.

I wish you all a happy Passover whether you are Jewish or not. May men and women all over the world share the joy of freedom and may we always remember that freedom did not come easily. 

A Recipe is Just A Recipe Until You Can't Find It!

Hella — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:06:00 GMT

Have you ever watched a television cooking show and saw a meal being created that you thought, “that looks interesting maybe I will make it later and I know where to get the recipe?” Or though you thought. I spent over a half hour on Rachael Ray's two websites and never found the stuffed chicken breast that I saw her make that week on my TV never to find the recipe. I know who the cook since I had seen Rachael make it and knew that I thought it would be simple to make and easy to find the recipe and yet I could not.

Why do I tell you this—more often we don’t remember who told us or where we found the recipes so write it down immediately since you never know when you will find it again. It is a quick warning do it now rather than put it off--life is so busy we often put it off until late and later does not come.

I also think in the world of Google everyone thinks you can find any thing given a few minutes but that is not necessarily the case. If you want to make a dish or if you want to get “what ever” that important thing is write it down right then and there. I have learned my lesson and hopefully you do not need to repeat my misguided search.

When we think of recipes write them down so they won’t get lost for the next meal or the next generation of your family. The few minutes it takes then is better than wasting time looking at site after site. I would like to get back all the time I have wasted looking up recipes to make a dish that I know that I want to make. I am sure you have had the same situation but most people don’t admit it!

Thinking Spring and Summer Recipes-Themes For Your Family Cookbook

Hella — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:26:00 GMT

As I pine away for signs of spring here in the Great Northern Tundra, today temps will hit 50 maybe and the snow is melting in my yard, my thoughts turn to weekends at The Lake. That means weekend recipes that are easy to make and a short shopping lists to buy in The Cities before we go. Sometimes, if we are entertaining it means making some of the food ahead to take up so I can spend more time with my guests.

That is why I think theme cookbooks are so helpful. They help people pull the right cookbook out quickly before going to the Joy of Cooking with its catchall index. I just received a new weekend cookbook and a dessert only cookbook that I can wait to use. By keeping the theme simple I know where to go to pull a cookbook for that part of the meal. What I also like in the weekend cookbooks they offer meal suggestions that I can correctly pair with the people who will be there. Kids in the group might get some kind of burgers when an adult only crowd my get grilled chicken sandwiches.

Creating your own themed cookbooks allow you to narrow your focus and allow for you to complete your family recipe cookbook more easily. But what I like even more is the fact that it more likely to be used by your family when they think about that kind of dish.

Many of you are saying but I just go to the web and get recipes. You can of course but more often when I go to the web for a recipe I know what I am going to cook and look just for that recipe. I need menu ideas more often then just the recipes. When you are at the lake entertaining you are going to make at least five meals so more ideas are helpful. Sometimes I even make the guests make the Sunday breakfast/brunch so I am only cooking four. My thoughts here are people like to offer to bring something and this allows them to bring something which makes them they feel better but it lets them focus on one meal which lets them use their creativity on the meal which more often will have everyone raving about it.

Theme cookbooks also allow you to enter a recipe that will not get made. If I were going to write my weekend cookbook, I would add my mother's summer fruit soup with a full story so future generations might make it since I my family does not like it. I finally found out this year that the Scandinavians fruit soup that living in Minnesota I heard so much about was made with dried fruits and it is more of what I think of a compote. My mother's fruit soup was a liquid cherry, peach or plum soup. It was made with fresh fruit, usually over ripe fruit that my mother was able to purchase for less money at the market and cooked to soften and create a fruit broth. She would add whipped egg whites on top to decorate it like floating clouds.

It was a fun summer memory and a recipe that is easy to make and will be lost if not written in a cookbook. I am sure with the story some of my relatives might want to try it, without the story probably not. I can add the recipe to a summer recipes cookbook or a weekend cookbook. Themes are so much fun. I cannot wait for spring but I feel better about March writing this blog now!

Keeping Your Family Recipes Safe From Disasters

Hella — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:58:00 GMT

I rarely do this but this is too important to not write about on both my blogs. Today I posted on http://lifestorytriggers.com/wordpress/blog about keeping your memories safe. Please go there and review what plans you will create to keep your family heirlooms safe. On that same theme I post this blog.

Please remember that one of your family heirlooms are your family recipes. Since I am one of those did not get family recipes handed down to due to World War 11, I am keenly aware that important things get lost due to flooding or even wars. Family heirlooms get lost and family recipes are sometimes the last things people would put on a list of things to save. If you have taken the time to collect yours please make sure there are copies where they can be reached. The cloud or a back up computer company are a great place to think about for a start but you may have better ideas.

Two things I know for sure, disasters happen without warning and if we spend a few moments planning, we might be able to saved those items that really are irreplaceable. It does take planning and it does take some time to execute the plan. Anyone can have a diaster happen at their home, I know from experience, we had a major fire when I was in the sixth grade caused by faulty wiring. None of us are immune from tragedy. If we take this time to safe guard our heirlooms and family recipes, the next generation will happy that their relatives were so smart to keep them safe.This insurance you cannot buy but have to create yourself.

Memoir Cookbooks Give More Than Just Recipes

Hella — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:38:00 GMT

For some of us writing an entire cookbook seems like a task that just con not be completed. For some us we are better writers than recipe collectors and there seems to be an answer, write a memoir cookbook. You can add a few of the family recipes but you are not just collecting recipe but sharing stories.My take on this would be family stories and family history with a pinch of recipe.

I heard recently about a book that talked about the different cultures that used the same ingredients. Okay, I think of it more of historical look at food but the memoir part was this person visited each of these countries. It allows to learn about cultures and how they use the food and ingredients for ceremonial as aspects of day to day observances. Hmong traditionally give fresh chicken soup to new mothers to boast her systems. Jewish mothers give chicken soup to the person with the flu and cold. I guess you see what I mean. One ingredient.

In our houses these days we have designed the kitchen to be the epa-center and for good reason. Many of us spend a lot of time in the kitchen. We hear about what went on in the day in the kitchen. Some kids do their home work in the kitchen. People moving in and moving out. Your memoir cookbook could be about the best shared secretes between you and your siblings in the kitchen over _____. You fill in the blank of what that comfort food might be. Careful on the secrets in the book-- get permission. Usually the secrets of our childhood were not important but it gives you a theme for a non-traditional cookbook.

More themes- foods I ate on vacations--what was I thinking? or never been able to taste that again. Foods for the holidays from each side of the family? You see that once you take out the collection of recipes and just the food experience you open the stories family traditions or individual experiences.Their are no rules in creating cookbooks except how to write a recipe and most people don't know how. If you want the instructions email me at memorycookbooks@gmail.com and I will send it out to you. Be creative and have fun--that is my rule.

Easter Recipes with Family Traditions Creates A Great Gift

Hella — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:52:00 GMT

Family recipes have been handed down from generations in the kitchens of the world. From mother to daughter and rarely written down. They were made over and over so there was no need to write them. Some of those same recipes will be served on the tables at Easter. Families tend to bring out the family traditions for the holidays. Great stories of family members that feasted together with the flavors of the home country—where ever that home country was. How easy is would it be to write up a story about foods that were eaten at Easter growing up? If you have relatives to ask for the recipes all the better, but if not, go on the web and see if you can find recipes from cultural guides from your ethnic group. It may take a few hours but it will be a great gift.

I know this by looking at the faces of the Top chef All Stars this past week. If you are not a fan like I am, the show brings chefs from all over the country to compete over a number of weeks to be the top chef of the year featured in magazines and all sort of other prizes. The All Stars is a show with all the chefs from previous years that did not make the top in their years the competed but were in the finals. Can I just tell you last week’s show hit all my buttons? I love food and cooking and I love family histories. The final challenge for elimination was cooking from your heritage with the chef’s relatives in attendance for final tasting. Pure joy while cooking, pure joy in the tasting round and even in the final round.

The look of amazement when connections are made keeps me loving be a personal historian. The joy you see on the faces is something really hard to explain. When you see it you know it, that is how I have to describe it. If you have a word for it, I would love to add it to my lexicon. I accept all comments that give a word for this feeling of connection to family, heritage and understanding that you stand on the shoulders of family members you have never met. Those little stories and with some recipes may give your family members that same joy I saw on the Top Chef All Star Show.

I share this link so you can see what I am talking about. And I would love to know what the word for that joy is, so please share your ideas.

Top Chef All Stars

Size Matters in Recipes...

Hella — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:53:00 GMT

Have you noticed that the boxes and cans in grocery store are shrinking. I just bought a box of chicken stock and then when I got home to put it away it was towered by the other broth boxes on my shelves. My cans are shrinking too. I know this is a way for food producers to keep prices basically the same, the price we are accustom to paying, so they make a box a bit smaller, thinner or have more air in them. This more than a trend but I suppose what we have in store for the future. Make sure when you write your recipe that you include the ounce size-
1 can tomato paste (6 oz) I think my can used to be 8oz but I have no old cans to check my hunch. They have always been a bit smaller than all cans so it is a bit confusing. (ounces, cups and pounds will not change over time and help your family keep making the family favorites)

Price Alert: There are some thing that they can't shrink...fresh vegetables! The price of tomatoes. green beans, squash, eggplant and zucchini will be raising in price since the frost in Florida damaged all crops in the fields some not ready to harvest and some just budding. All foods are going up and will continue to go in price due to climate change. The wheat crops and corn crops around the world were decimated with flooding and droughts which means meat prices will rise also. Get ready to turn over more of your household income while shopping for food.

MY SOLUTION: Get Grandma's recipes out, she did not have tomatoes in winter, She was lucky to see an orange in winter maybe if a friend might be in Florida and send a bag to her. A real treat. I think you will see more bean soups, lentils and potato. Healthy hearty soups that used little meat and no fresh vegetables. Grandma had a root cellar where potatoes were stored and her canned summer favorite.These are everyday recipes and not the holiday get togethers specials that we all remember fondly. Hint--start planning your summer garden now for all those goodies you will be canning this July. Grow your own and be a real locavore.

Grandma's Recipes... Create a Family Recipe Cookbook

Hella — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:38:00 GMT

Many people at my classes say, "I just found Grandma's recipes now what do I do?" I congratulate them since they have the hard work done--collecting the recipes. I then suggest they add some stories about when the dishes were served and they might note their favorites and why? It is the notes and commentary that separate your home made cookbook from the thousands sold in bookstores.

The next step is either to copy them to put into a three ring binder for a cookbook. That is the easiest and for those who do not want to find a template or are not good at computer skills, it is the perfect solution to keeping the recipes safe and to be used by family members.

Some might want to scan a few for art work in their family recipe cookbook or scan them all to be used as the guts of their cookbook. It really is how you want your cookbook to look and what resources you want to purchase. You can keep it simple or you can type each recipe in a template to print it. There are several available on the web and by googling free recipe templates or recipe cookbook templates you have your choice. I have used several and it all comes down to what you want the end results look like, how many books you want and what you want to spend.
I have highlighted several in past blogs. I suggest you go to see the wide variety of options you have available.

If Grandma is still alive, you might want to have some commentary about her recipes. You may want to take her photograph for the cover. AGAIN, it really matters what you want the finished product to look like. Make all the recipes and ask Grandma if you have any questions...do not put them in drawer to work on later, even if you do not plan to work on the cookbook until later. If she is there ask questions and you might want to make the recipes with her.

You now are the publisher and editor of your cookbook. Look at those in your home and see what you like and don't like. Let those be your guide to creating your own family recipe cookbook. With all these new responsibilities you might want to buy my cd that walks you through all the options and helps you along the way. No matter what...you better get started! I can promise you that your family will be happy you took the time to do it!

Copyright Questions for Family Recipe Cookbook Creators

Hella — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:55:00 GMT

Buyer beware. I have said this often about cookbook publishers. One is there
a monthly fee that can add cost to the production of your cookbook. Then once
the book is printed who owns the rights to your work. Many publishers own
the rights to all your recipes. But each of you has to make your own decisions
to meet your needs but read the fine print carefully so you can make the best
decision. Information is king.

Hp has one page format for recipes that you print on your own computer, it is free.
Microsoft has two formats for cookbooks but they are in word and can be a
bit temperamental on page formatting, they too are free. I discussed my adventure with my cookie cookbook over the holidays. Finally, you can purchase a cd from the cookbook people to create it a cookbook on your computer. They have done many up grades since I purchased my copy four years ago. What all these things have in common is they give you the freedom to print on your own computer so you have no monthly fee or worry about copyright for your recipes and cookbook. They all allow you to add as many stories as you want too and as you know that is what I think getsyour cookbook read.

Recently on the Associations of Personal Historians (www.personalhistorians.org ) private listserv there we some conversations about using Heritage Makers for books. I asked Nancy Barnes if I could share her post so that you can see even professional wrestle with this question. She graciously said, "yes" and here it is:

I interviewed a Heritage Makers rep not long ago. I was trying to see if it was something I could use for my clients. They have an online drag-n-drop interface for DIY book design. It seems to be attractive to digital  scrapbookers, but there are definitely downsides. It is a subscription service, designed to extract monthly fees. Heritage makers "owns" the digital content. In fact, the page designs have been drawn from HM users, which is nice I suppose if you wish to share your creative work, but it is not something you can opt out of.

The appeal for buyers is the book printing. The books looked pretty good, from what I saw, with full color interior, etc. Regular customers pay a pretty high price for them, while the"consultants" get a price break on printing.

I for one would not be interested in this, as I am disturbed by the rights issue, which I don't feel is appropriate for private publishing. And although they have convenient and cute prepackaged page layouts, they are not set up for control of text layout. I can produce far more professional work in InDesign.
 --  Nancy Barnes  href="http://www.StoriesToTellBooks.com" target="" class="">www.StoriesToTellBooks.com

When Writing Your Recipes Care Needs To Be Taken

Hella — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:14:00 GMT

The boxes are getting smaller again. The size of jars are getting smaller. If you notice it or not everything is shrinking so manufactures can keep the prices the same. This could cause havoc on your recipes. If the cheese cake recipe says four packages of cream cheese are the ounces written out? If you are creating a new cookbook make sure that it is. Let's say your are writing a recipes for rice crispy bars (a fav) the old recipe may say a box of cereal, you may want to find out how many ounces the old box contained and then figure out how many cups that is. Then when you write your recipe you many say one box 32 ounces or five cups. So when the box shrinks again, and I am sure it will the person using the recipe will not be confused when they use a box of 28 ounces. For any recipe that says a package or a can the some goes. I know this means find out when the recipe was written and what the actual size of that item was but it will make sure when you are at the taste and test part of your cookbook creation process it will taste right and be ready to be printed.

I know that many of you thought this article was going to be about proofing and making sure that the original recipe has been copied correctly. I can not repeat that too much but changing products size is something I think needs to pointed out rather than just reminded about. Hint on proofing....have some one else do it, then are more likely to find the errors.

February's Hot Off the Web Cookbook Links...

Hella — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 20:16:00 GMT

One of the favorite parts of my monthly newsletters were the links each month and I have has request to continue them in the blog. Your wish is granted..hope you like but this time with some commentary!

Included since getting back into the kitchen is one of my themes.
The Photo Cookbook Helps You Get Started in the Kitchen Appscout If your idea of culinary brilliance involves opening a bag and following the steps on the back, The Photo Cookbook for iPhone and iPad can help you find ... <http://www.appscout.com/2011/01/the_photo_cookbook_helps_you_g.php>

Hope there are some hints you can use
Food Secrets of Writer and Cookbook Author Vanessa Barrington ... By Mary Ladd Vanessa Barrington (Twitter: @veebee22) is a food writer and cookbook author based in the Temescal District in Oakland. She is the author of the recently published D.I.Y. Delicious (Twitter: @DIYDelicious): Recipes and Ideas for Simple ... <http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2011/01/21/food-secrets-of-writer-and-cookbook-author-vanessa-barrington/>

Idea for a cookbook theme- travel
Cookbook flavored with family, travel Pioneer Press Online Melissa Clark mixes good storytelling with sophisticated but easy-to-master recipes in her latest cookbook, In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite. ... <http://www.pioneerlocal.com/pioneerpress/3006800,pioneer-press-appetite-011310-s1.article>
 Always looking at cookbook holders.
Cookbook Holders, Books, Specialty Shops - Bed Bath & Beyond Shop for Cookbook Holders,Books,Specialty Shops at Bed Bath & Beyond. Brands include New American,Sagaform. <http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/stylePage.asp?RN=951>

With all these apps and ebooks the good old cookbook needs some help!
In defense of the cookbook World Magazine But in the last year or so, I have begun to return to cookbooks. The service a trusted cookbook supplies is vetting. I still go to the Cook's Illustrated ... <http://online.worldmag.com/2010/12/30/in-defense-of-the-cookbook/>

 So here are some app stories
AppStore Reviews: "Whole Foods Market Recipes" American Consumer News Whole Foods Market Recipes, developed by 2010 Whole Foods Market IP, LP, is now available from the App Store and has made Apple's Top 300 iPad/iPod ... <http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2011/01/appstore-reviews-whole-foods-market-recipes.html>
Appetites iPad app reinvents the cookbook with video recipes IntoMobile The Appetites iPad cookbook uses videos to help you walk through each recipe and I find this to be a cool twist on the cooking app space. ... <http://www.intomobile.com/2011/01/27/appetites-ipad-app-video-macworld/> 

 More on getting back on in the kitchen
"Pattern Recipes" -- The Cure for America's Cooking Crisis? Huffington Post (blog) but perhaps another culprit has also discouraged more and more of us from whipping up dinner: recipes. Lately the whole idea of recipes has taken on a ... <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-buzzell/pattern-recipes-the-cure-_b_811588.html> See all stories on this topic:

One of my favorite food writers—Mark Bitmman
Try 3 all-time favorite recipes from Mark Bittman msnbc.com you're ending that but you are going to do recipes in the new york times magazine and do a weekly op-ed on food. >> looking at the recipes from the ... <http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41258668/ns/today-foodwine/>

Trouble Getting Recipes! Looking for Solutions!

Hella — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:26:00 GMT

No matter if you are doing a fund raising, family reunion or just family memory cookbook the number one obstacle to finishing the cookbook is getting your recipes from others. I have called, sent numerous emails and threaten to leave the page blank with no better results. If you don't have the recipes you can not write the cookbook. I know several well intentioned people have tried to start a fund raising cookbook for the best of reasons and only had a few submissions. The project was stopped before it could even start.

Many of the people in my heirloom cookbook classes have the recipes and that is why they want to start their family memory cookbook so they do not have this universal problem. They have the motivation and the tools to start and complete their cookbook.

I hope some of my reader can furnish some ideas of their own. What did you do to get the recipes from reluctant people. If we can help each other maybe more people will be able to raise money for worthy causes or just complete a family keepsake. Help us! share your ideas.....

Old World Recipes to Help the Environment

Hella — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 16:37:00 GMT

Do you remember when everyone who was eating out was ordering Chilean Sea Bass and then it became almost endangered and they took it off the menu. I recently read some articles about invasive species should become the hot item and we can get rid of them by making the endangered and then gone.

Why am I writing about them in a blog about creating your memory cookbook? Since Asian Carp are part of the diets of people who live in Asia. If we go to those societies we can find some recipes to eat this fish. And, there is part of me that says maybe some cookbook author will take the lead and do the research and write a book that will be a hot seller to get rid of the things in our streams.

I grew on the Mason Dixon Line where back woods foods would occasionally be spoken of lovingly eaten at their grand parents—raccoons (coons) and squirrels were part of they diet. The only possums I ever saw were in the road lying flat but I do remember people talking about eating possums. On the Beverly Hill Billie’s television show they talked about eating possums. This idea is not that far fetched.
Attached are the links to the two articles and a brief few paragraphs to see what they are proposing.

My thoughts if we can’t get rid of them, lets eat them out of existence.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/weekinreview/02gorman.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=asian carp&st=cse By JAMES GORMAN
Published: December 31, 2010
There’s a new shift in the politics of food, not quite a movement yet, more of an eco-culinary frisson. But it may have staying power; the signs and portents are there. Vegans, freegans, locavores — meet the invasivores.
Reuters
Tasty Menace: The lionfish, a destructive and prolific native of the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific, invaded the Caribbean in the 1990s. Females can produce perhaps two million eggs a year.

Some divers in the Florida Keys recently held a lionfish derby, the idea being to kill and eat lionfish, an invasive species. Local chefs cooperated by promoting the lionfish as a tasty entree. The idea drew editorial support from Andrew Revkin in a post on The Times’s Dot Earth blog in which he also mentioned an attempt by some fisheries biologists to rename the invading Asian carp “Kentucky tuna” to make it more appealing to diners. And the Utne Reader recently ran an article about Chicago chefs turning their attention to the same invasive fish.
And this week….
http://www.startribune.com/local/114321859.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU By BILL McAULIFFE, Star Tribune
Last update: January 20, 2011
Carp: It's what's for dinner, under a broad strategy aimed at preventing a newly invasive species from colonizing the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed.

John Goss, the recently appointed Asian carp director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said in Minneapolis on Thursday that marketing the carp to parts of China where they're a delicacy, as well as encouraging Americans to sample some, could help stop the advance of a fish many believe is on the verge of disrupting the ecology and recreational value of many of the mid-continent's waterways.

Asian carp, one variety of which is known to leap from the water when agitated and knock over boaters and waterskiers, have been migrating north since escaping from an Arkansas fish farm about 15 years ago. The jumping silver carp have been expanding their range in tandem with bighead carp, which can grow to 100 pounds and 4 feet in length and eat 40 percent of their body weight daily. Goss described Asian carp as a threat "we have not seen ... in modern times."

Themes for Your Cookbook

Hella — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:52:00 GMT

Last week I talked about picking a theme for your cookbook and said it is the easiest way to focus your recipes. I did not mention any themes so this week I thought I would try to convince you that one of the best is Soups! Now that it is winter outside most cooks love to spend more time in the kitchen since the heat of the stove keeps them warm. What I love is the smell fill the house and there is a feeling of love and fulfillment. A warm pot of soup cooking for hours can make your house feel like a home and they are easy to make.

But what I really love is that our ancestors made soups too. If we research and look hard enough we can find some old recipes that might have been made by your grandparents or great-great-grandparents. Depending on where your family originated some of these soups maybe stews but where ever the old country is--some sort of soup was served, Call it the one pot meal or the slow cooked meal but every culture has a recipes or two that you can make your cookbook a family recipe cookbook that saves the tradition foods from your own heritage.

I did find these recipes in my inbox http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2008/04/soups_stews_slideshow#slide=1 That might get you thinking about things served in your home growing up.

I know that for lunch I often go to a Vietnamese Soup place which is filled with people slurping the large bowls of goodness. I go to a deli and find the matzo ball and weigh it with the borcht. I never know exactly how they make the borcht so I always play it safe with matzo balls. But I am always tempted.

When asking my cousins for family recipes the one I got back was an all day soup that my aunt made. Most of the kids said they did not remember anything their mom made but the soup was the one thing they remembered.

Making a soup cookbook in the midst of winter might even warm you. If you can think of themes that you might want others to think about leave a comment. there are hundreds of ideas and all of them are good ones if they get you to do your cookbook!

Memory Cookbook or Food Memoir

Hella — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:03:00 GMT

I have always argued that a memoir is a story about an historical event and your own story about it. It gives the reader more clarity about the event and about the writer. But it seems the term memoir is being used for life story. I give up the fight and start using the word as it is being used and note the reason the words autobiography and biography exist is they are not memories. Since everyone is writing one I am glad that I help but their thoughts on paper about their lives no matter what one calls the act and the final product.

So when I saw this article this morning I thought I might share it with you. It is how to put your food memoir together. The great thing is Laura Tompkins agrees with many of the things I talk about in writing your memory cookbook. She goes from the angle of the stories and I go from the angle of the recipes. Neither is right or wrong. There are no rules in putting your cookbooks except copyrights, acknowledgements and testing and tasting that many of you don’t do!

Tomkins writes, “You can pass on your favourite recipes and tell your stories at the same time. The food memoir is gaining popularity as a literary form, and for good reason. Food is a basic ingredient of life; it is necessary for everyone’s existence, and stories about it are invariably about larger life lessons. Many notable authors, such as Barbara Kingsolver, have published food memoirs. By following some simple steps, putting together a food memoir is not difficult.”

I am not the only one saying write your memory cookbooks. It makes the family want to read it for the stories and when the members of the family are older they will appreciate the recipes.Tompkins talks about finding a theme. Have I preached about this too much, I guess not. A theme makes making your book connected and focus to help you complete it! Her themes are about the stories collected. If that helps you put the cookbook together, go for it. She does miss the recipes part of the cookbook in this article but hers is a food memoir rather than a memory cookbook.

She does add a list of books that I will list here for you to check out on memoir writing and other food memoirs that you might enjoy reading. I do suggest do not get caught up on reading rather than writing. As genealogist spend most of their time researching and not putting it together you may be caught up in doing other things than writing. A flaw that is easy to get into. Avoidance is a use of time when you are not committed to the project; I do it often as I think most of us do.

How to Begin Writing your Memoir

Tips for Writing Memoirs that Others will Want to Read

Writing Memoirs: An Exercise to Get you Started

Excellent food memoirs get you started.

Scudamore, James; “A Food Memoir: Love and Sponge Cakes” 2008

http://moreintelligentlife.com/story/food-memoir-bovril-nine-sponge-cakes

Kingsolver, Barbara; “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle”: 2007

http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/

Diana Abu- Jaber; “The Language of Baklava”: 2005

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4597333

And here is the link to the original article by Laura Tompkins

Hot Trends and Recipes!

Hella — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:15:00 GMT

I hope you all collected some great recipes over the holidays and are ready to start on a new cookbook. It is easier to take your time in cookbook writing and taste and test your recipes over a long period of time. Everyone loved their gift of cookie recipes and the cookies did not go to waste but were given to the recycler, garbagemen, snow plower and mailmen. They loved being remembered during the holiday. the snowplowers had tears in their eyes. It felt good since the holidays are about giving and I got so much from them.

For all my cookbook newsletter reader I am sending out the links that you got regularly. There seems to be more hot trends in finding recipes and new and more places to look for recipes. I wish you all a peaceful new year and that 2011 brings us all the success we are looking for!

New Trends  (my link text maker is not working so you will have to cut and paste if you want to read it. I apologize! New technology does not always work espcially when we want.)
Digital cookbooks that can be used hands-free HULIQ The Internet can be considered a digital cookbook, but until now, trying a neat recipe required either wasting paper, memorizing it, or subjecting your ... 
http://www.huliq.com/10177/digital-cookbooks-can-be-used-hands-free 

The Photo Cookbook - Baking 1.0 for iOS - Frame by Frame Baking App prMac (press release) [prMac.com] Cologne, Germany - ditter.projektagentur GmbH today introduces The Photo Cookbook - Baking 1.0 for iOS, part of their best-selling series of ...
 prmac.com/release-id-19862.htm  ifood.tv

Launches Free iPhone App for Video Recipes; Brings Over 25000 Cooking ...San Francisco Chronicle (press release) ifood.tv, the world's biggest food and cooking video website, officially launched its iPhone app today named "Recipe TV & Food Diary - ifood.tv. ... 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/12/23/prweb4922884

DTL  Thanksgiving recipes? Betty Crocker, on the line! Seattle Times My go-to guide for stuffing (among other long-loved recipes) is the original Silver Palate Cookbook. That's where you'll find this, the original recipe for
 seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/allyoucaneat style="font-size: 14px;" face="Verdana">/2013474201_thanksgiving_roundup_betty_cro.html  /

170000+ Recipes - BigOven Pro for iPad on the iTunes App Store To buy and download 170000+ Recipes - BigOven Pro by BigOven.com, get iTunes now . ... Please download our free BigOven 170000+ Recipes and Grocery List iPad
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/170-000-recipes-bigoven-pro/id364151212?mt=8

RecipesChristmas Recipes in Global Food Blogs · Global Voices By Maria Grabowski Kjær Local specialties and secret family recipes for Christmas food is exactly what you need to create just the right feeling - whether it's Brazilian breakfast rabanada, American sour creme coffee cake or Bulgarian pastry, banitsa.  globalvoicesonline.org/2010/12/23/global-food-blogs-and-recipes-for-christmas/

 Holiday Recipes @Craftzine.com blog By Natalie Zee Drieu If you're like me, you're still figuring out the menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I've collected all our delicious Holiday recipes all here in one place, including some wonderful dishes we featured last month for Thanksgiving ... 
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/12/holiday_recipes.html 