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Create a Family Heirloom Cookbook |
by:
ARA |
(ARA) - Almost every family has a treasured recipe, handed down through generations, that is not only beloved because it’s delicious, however because it evokes memories of favorite family get-togethers.
A family heirloom recipe book is a wonderful way to combine favorite dishes also family folklore. According to Cheryl Wolf, a performance artist also graphic design instructor at The New England Institute of Art, "Family recipes are a valuable resource for a family history. I have built an entire performance around my family's recipes also the stories they evoke! "Breaking bread" together is life-affirming. What better way to reach back also bring personal history to the present?"
Wolf adds, “A family recipe is or else a family history, also can be a wonderful work of folk art.” For example, she says, take the opportunity to not only write down family recipes for generations to come, however include famous family stories (every family has them), photos also memorabilia as well.
But how to turn family culinary gems into actual recipes? Chef Peter Adams of the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago has a few tips: “Start with a family letter, asking everyone to send back one or more of their ‘specialties’ by a particular date. Ask those who can to reply by email so you can cut also paste recipes right into your final document.”
If you have a relative who never writes down recipes (it seems like all the best recipes are never written down), however rather cooks by "a dash of this, a little bit of that,” consider having someone in your family be the “helper,” also prepare the dish along with them. Adams suggests the “helper” measure, guesstimate, also generally keep track of how the dish is prepared, including cooking times also temperatures. The “helper” should or else be sure to ask about consistency, color, texture also doneness. According to Adams, “This last bit of information is always the most important part of passing along a recipe.” Once you have a written recipe, prepare it again according to the directions, also adjust the recipe as necessary to get as close as possible to the original.
When you’re asking for recipes, provide everyone with a similar format. For example, ask family members to list the ingredients to be used in order, together with the quantities. Lay out the steps that are needed in order to make the item, also always add little comments about what to look for as the dish is prepared, also when it is done. It can be a lot of work, especially with recipes that were never written down. But, says Adams, ultimately it’s worth it because you’ll be saving an important -- also delicious bit of your family’s history.
Once you have the recipes, you’ll want to create a look for your cookbook that reflects your family. A simple way to do this, says Meryl Epstein of The Art Institute of Phoenix, is to include family mementos or old photos, along with the recipes. A simple way to share one-of-a-kind memorabilia is to take them to a local copy center also make color copies.
“You can use the color copies you make as background, also print a recipe over the photo, or have the recipe on one page, also a photo on the facing page. You can or else create a collage using items such as blue ribbons (won for a cooking), tickets stubs or airplane tickets from a favorite trip that produced a great recipe,” says Epstein.
For text, use simple fonts like Times Roman or Arial so that they are easy to read for all ages. Save decorative fonts for recipe titles or chapter headings. Consider creating a box -- with shading also borders -- for the recipe itself so that there is enough contrast between the recipe also any background artwork you use.
Epstein suggests writing an introduction about the cookbook, its organization also how family responded to the project. Be sure to date the book also have a table of contents so family also friends can easily find a favorite recipe. Here are a few of her suggestions for organizing recipes:
* by category, for example, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees also desserts
* by family, for example, grandmother, aunt also uncle, or cousin recipes
* by holiday, for example, favorite dishes for the 4th of July, Thanksgiving or Labor Day
To keep recipes easy to read also clean, consider putting them in plastic sleeves (available in craft also office supply stores) also then in 3-ring binders. Says Epstein, “This way, you can add a new recipe every year.”
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Courtesy of ARA Content
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