Question of the Day: Recipe software?
Do you use any type of recipe application to keep your cooking notes organized on your computer? If so, what?
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13 Comments:
I've played with MacGourmet a little bit. As the name makes obvious, it's for Macintosh computers. Once you add recipes to it, they're easily searchable. And if you're worried about getting chicken stock on your laptop, you can print out recipe cards on 3-by-5-inch or 4-by-6-inch index cards or on letter-size paper (the app formats the recipes for you in clean, easy-to-read styles).
Adam Kuban at 8:59AM on 07/06/07
I'm looking forward to this:
http://mydreamapp.com/news/post/381/
skigil at 9:32AM on 07/06/07
I have used Mastercook for years, but while I like all the features it is a pain to move files from one computer to another, and the file type has me really scared that I am stuck with it forever as I don't see how to easily reformat them to load into a new program. With 10 years and several thousand recipes in it makes my blood pressure go up just to think of the loss if I have to start over!
Cary at 9:43AM on 07/06/07
I have mastercook at home that someone bought me as a gift, but don't really use it. I created a section in "my documents" on my computer, from there I have sub-files listed for various catagorys. It works like a charm and I didn't have to pay for any software! I simply use word to type out my personal recipes or to copy and paste!
Lilartist at 9:51AM on 07/06/07
I do it the old-fashioned way--I use Word, and group them within folders for apps, salads, soups, entrees, etc.
Curlz at 10:04AM on 07/06/07
I am a hopeless computer ignoramus; if I find a recipe online that I like I print it and put it in a notebook. I have a small but really nifty colection of cookbooks. I guess I really like the feel of a book in my hands. If I make any changes in the recipe I write them on the page -- the writing is the sign of a well used cookbook!
ride&cook at 7:15PM on 07/06/07
I've used most of them on the PC -- including MealMaster, MasterCook, Living Cookbook, AccuChef, and more... My favorite, hands down, is BigOven -- http://www.bigoven.com. Really solid software! I manage my collection of over 26,000 recipes in it and it does a great job.
vogelap at 7:21PM on 07/06/07
After buying upgrades for MasterCook with no new features, I did some looking for a replacement. Living Cookbook is an excellent program -- robust but elegant to use. Highly recommended.
http://livingcookbook.com
dreilly at 11:42PM on 07/06/07
@ride&cook: I'm a hopeless computer fanatic, but I love your approach. With handwritten notes, you know the changes you've made to the original. The only legitimate use of refrigerator magnets is single-page recipes.
Lou at 8:39AM on 07/07/07
I also use Living Cookbook - I love its interface and ease of use. Great support online in its forums and its creators.
I've never had any problems with it.
But lately I tend to organize all of my recipes on the blog. I can add photos of the food (that I store on Flickr), link to related recipes and sources and get feedback/comments all stored in one spot.
Too lazy to cut and paste new recipes into Living Cookbook.
Steamy Kitchen at 10:38AM on 07/07/07
I've been saving my recipes to my blog as well. I compose the post as email (I use Thunderbird), then simply email it to my Blogger address. I add any photos after the post shows up.
I use email because it lets me format text (numbered and bulleted lists, bold, italic, etc.) very easily.
I'll confess, my kitchen is not nearly as steamy as yours.
Lou at 11:42AM on 07/07/07
Hand written notes scanned into the computer and indexed with tags. If I have an existing recipe with hand written notes - I print it out - make additional notes and rescan it in.
My beef (no pun intended) with recipe software is that they are inflexible or the challenge of being able to access a recipe from any one of my 5 computers (windows, mac, linux). I have also been underwhelmed by the ability to export or import recipes in a non-proprietary format. For example I want to be able to export a recipe to a website but I have not found an decent way of doing this yet. Chances are I'll end up writing something on my own.
shea at 1:19PM on 07/08/07
I have used both MasterCook and Living Cookbook. I prefer Living Cookbook particularly since they released their 2008 version. Very nice interface and Vista-compatible. I am using it to create a family cookbook for Christmas gifts.
I found them at www.livingcookbook.com.
foodie337 at 12:12AM on 10/02/08