# Written Recipe Format - What's your preferred method?



## Andy M. (May 20, 2016)

WRITTEN RECIPE FORMAT

Recipes I've cooked and want to keep get typed up and put into my three-ring cookbook binder.

I have a standard format I use to promote consistency in appearance and understanding.

Here's what I do:

•	I use 24-pound paper, heavier than the standard 20-pound printer paper.
•	Standard font is Arial 12-point with bolding and italics as needed
•	Footnotes are in Arial 8-point in Month Year format.  I list dates created and revised.
•	Titles are centered in BOLDED LARGE AND SMALL CAPS.
•	Attribution is in Italics.
•	All units of measure abbreviations are standardized to a prepared list.
•	Ingredients lists are in two columns listed first after the title in the order used
•	Ingredients in separate steps are separated by an underline
•	I write instructions in complete sentences rather than in recipe speak.
•	I record the amount of time need to make the recipe from start to finish.
•	I keep these recipes in a binder with subject dividers for Meats, Poultry, etc.
•	I do not use plastic sheet protectors.  Reprinting is cheaper and takes less space



There's probably more but you get the idea.  You're probably thinking I'm way too Anal Retentive for your liking but that's just me.

What do you do for your recipes?


From:  Andy M.


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## Kayelle (May 20, 2016)

That sounds like perfection to me Andy, and there's sure nothing wrong with that.

Hand written recipe collections are sure a thing of the past, and in some ways that's too bad. My Mom has been gone since I was a young woman, and when I come across one of her recipe cards she comes back to me with her writing. My kids will have mine in my hand before I bought a computer and that's all. Kinda sad.


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## Janet H (May 20, 2016)

Andy M. said:


> WRITTEN RECIPE FORMAT
> 
> Recipes I've cooked and want to keep get typed up and put into my three-ring cookbook binder.
> 
> ...



I do something similar and in the past couple of years have been putting together a family favorites book. I had to standardize the recipe format and after some failed attempts came up with these (here's a left and right version:





It's 8 x 8 on card stick and the ingredient list is grouped by assembly steps.  There is a place for notes at the bottom, a picture and I try like heck to fit it on one page so that no page turns are needed.


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## Aunt Bea (May 20, 2016)

I'm a complete failure at this! 

I have tried several formats to organize my "collection" into three different little cookbooks and a sort of diary of things to cook and eat in season.

I agree with Kayelle about the old handwritten recipes, newspaper clippings and the old cookbooks with notes in the margins.  I always know I have found a great recipe when I'm looking through an old cookbook and the page in front of me is just covered with splatters, stains and little notes.  When I make those recipes I feel a connection with the previous cooks.  I always try to pencil in a note or tip of my own for the next person to discover.


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## msmofet (May 20, 2016)

I record recipes in Microsoft OneNote with picture then print out and keep in an accordion folder. I  am planning on printing on card stock and putting in a cookbook binder when I can.


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## Whiskadoodle (May 20, 2016)

Having lost all my recipes once to a computer that refused mouth-to-mouth CPR,  I said never again.  Next computer, I started printing ea recipe as I entered them in.  My ring binder was not kept in the best/ usable order.  Ugh. 

In recent years I am using a free cloud based recipe organizer that seems to work for me, or at least  I have learned to make a few adjustments with it, to the extent it allows.  Pepperplate (dot com).  
It allows one picture, and has a place for notes at the bottom.  It's easy to copy/ paste ingredients and instrux, cooking/ prep times, recipe source, and a few other bells and whistles in formatted places.  It's drawbacks are, it saves individual recipes in the order one enters them, or you can place the whole lot in alphabetical order.   The good news is the user gets to create recipe categories, much like a cookbook and from  there it is easier to locate the recipe you want.  It's search box works too by title or a main ingredient. 

I got  more to say about this,but I gotta go right now.  Bye.


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## Andy M. (May 20, 2016)

Here's an image of my format.  Sorry, no photos.


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## Dawgluver (May 20, 2016)

I use The Recipe Box app.  It's on all the tablets, phones, and the desktop, so the chances of losing recipes is very slight.

I can copy and paste and stick them on there.  I also have handwritten recipes from Gramma and friends that are in a little wooden recipe box in my cupboard.


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## Kayelle (May 20, 2016)

Aunt Bea said:


> I'm a complete failure at this!
> 
> I have tried several formats to organize my "collection" into three different little cookbooks and a sort of diary of things to cook and eat in season.
> 
> *I agree with Kayelle about the old handwritten recipes, newspaper clippings and the old cookbooks with notes in the margins.  I always know I have found a great recipe when I'm looking through an old cookbook and the page in front of me is just covered with splatters, stains and little notes.  When I make those recipes I feel a connection with the previous cooks.  I always try to pencil in a note or tip of my own for the next person to discover. *



Bea, I've posted this site a couple of times but you may have missed it.
Recipe nostalgia at it's best!!


RecipeCurio.comVintage Recipes | RecipeCurio.com


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## LizStreithorst (May 20, 2016)

Andy M. said:


> Here's an image of my format.  Sorry, no photos.




I do it like you, Andy.


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## RPCookin (May 20, 2016)

I keep mine in Living Cookbook and I back up the database to an external HD every time I add a new recipe.  Trying to keep a printed binder in any kind of order is virtually impossible with 2 of us accessing and adding to it.  Especially when one of us is uninterested in alphabetizing.


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## medtran49 (May 20, 2016)

We keep most of them in electronic format, word pad, Ariel font (cause I like that one and do most of the saving).  I do back-ups every couple of weeks on an independent hard drive so don't have to worry about losing things.  I have been really bad about not saving things that I've bookmarked on my tablet or phone and have lost a few when one or the other failed, though I've usually remembered enough of the recipe to find it again, and have been trying to make sure I copy and paste to the computer that I back up regularly lately, as I had a tablet that I had for several years that just died on me not too long ago, no saving that one.  As far as the cookbooks we own, you can tell which ones get made regularly, stains and water/liquid marks as mentioned before.  If I rewrite and post the recipe somewhere (like here), I'll save them to the computer that gets backed up.  We do have notebooks that have recipes cut-off from old magazines or typed out from old magazines like Bon Appetit that we keep.


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## Whiskadoodle (May 20, 2016)

I guess my recipe format looks much  like Andy's and everyone's,  except I keep ingredients in one column.   If the original didn't,  I make sure to separate major parts, like marinade, main components, finishing sauce or cake ingreds from the frosting etc.  And the same goes for the prep instructions too.

The handiest thing I find  is because I am back and forth a lot between home and Dx's, it is easy to access a recipe wherever.    

I keep my old 3 x 5 card file on the recipe book shelf.  It has a few oldies/ goodies I still like to use.


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## GotGarlic (May 20, 2016)

I use Living Cookbook and print a copy. I keep printouts in several 3-ring binders; I have too many recipes for just one  You can create different cookbooks and sections within cookbooks. You can also put in headers and separate the ingredient list by component, if you want. It comes with a database of ingredients and associated nutritional information, which you can update every year - the company provides a file you can download  and import when the FDA updates nutritional data. 

It has a capture feature, so you can copy and paste from a web page and easily put it in the standard format, which is customizable for each cookbook. It also has a scale feature - you can take a recipe that serves four and scale it to serve 20 and it will do the calculations and create a new recipe. This has been great for making the recipes we use for DH's annual capstone event for 25-30 teachers.

I'm attaching a copy of the format I use (it's 8.5x11; I cropped it to make it easier to see). 

For people who back up to an external hard drive: They are magnetic media and can crash just like internal hard drives. I learned that the hard way. Now, I use an online backup service, which backs up automagically in the background every time a file changes (you can select which files and folders to back up). That came in handy when my laptop died last year.


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## Cheryl J (May 20, 2016)

I'm not the most organized person when it comes to formatting and filing recipes , but this is a project I've been working on for quite some time and should give it attention more often. It's for my daughters. 

My mom had this old tin recipe file box that I just love - this thing must be close to 50 years old. It's filled with recipes from my mom, both grandmas, and an aunt or two. I've been re-typing the recipes, adding my notes, the original handwritten (or typed from an old typewriter) recipe cards, and my best guess as to the dates. Some recipes are handed down, some are clipped from a magazine and I'm lucky to have some of the original yellowed magazine clippings. 

Here's her file box: 


I've been putting them in a binder in sheet protectors, so that I can slip in the original handwritten version as well. Kind of a keepsake thing. Here's a random sample:


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## Cheryl J (May 20, 2016)

Sorry the second pic was so blurry. 
As far as other newer recipes, I have quite a few stored in computer files and am working on getting them into the binder as well, at some point. Pretty much the same simple format as above.


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## Culturedhick (May 20, 2016)

Lately I have been entering all my recipes into Google Drive. That way I can access them from anywhere on any device. I use Comic Sans Ms font at 20 for the title and 14 for the recipe.

The recipes I use frequently,  I print and put into document protectors that go into a 3 ring binder that sits on the bar. 

I do enjoy seeing my mom's handwritten recipes with all the splatters and penciled in notes, but if I handwrote mine, no one would be able to read them.


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## RPCookin (May 21, 2016)

GotGarlic said:


> I use Living Cookbook and print a copy. I keep printouts in several 3-ring binders; I have too many recipes for just one  You can create different cookbooks and sections within cookbooks. You can also put in headers and separate the ingredient list by component, if you want. It comes with a database of ingredients and associated nutritional information, which you can update every year - the company provides a file you can download  and import when the FDA updates nutritional data.
> 
> It has a capture feature, so you can copy and paste from a web page and easily put it in the standard format, which is customizable for each cookbook. It also has a scale feature - you can take a recipe that serves four and scale it to serve 20 and it will do the calculations and create a new recipe. This has been great for making the recipes we use for DH's annual capstone event for 25-30 teachers.
> 
> ...



I have 2 external hard drives, plus at least a half dozen thumb drives, several SD cards for my camera.  I could, if I wished, make 7 or 8 backups, but I feel that having it on my computer and on 2 external drives (I use the second external to back up the first one, so everything in my primary backup is backed up again.  Three copies should be enough to ensure that I will have the opportunity to recover even in the unlikely event that two should fail at the same time.


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## GotGarlic (May 21, 2016)

Yes, three copies should be enough. Most people don't do that, though. The main thing I like about online backup is that I don't have to do anything or think about it. It's just done. 

Forgot to mention, I also use Dropbox on my phone,  tablet and laptop. All photos sync to my laptop, which is then backed up to the online service.


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## tenspeed (May 21, 2016)

If you are backing up to external drives, I would suggest using a rotating set of drives.  If you get hit by ransomware you will have a clean backup.  A backup of corrupt files won't do you much good.

  I have a set of three external drives that I rotate to copy frequently modified folders.  I make a full data backup periodically, and also have several sets of irreplaceable photos on DVDs (they are really cheap).  I have the data partition structured in a way that makes it easy for me do this.

  Even if you use online backup I would suggest a periodic local backup of important files, just in case.


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## GotGarlic (May 21, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> Even if you use online backup I would suggest a periodic local backup of important files, just in case.



I do have an external hard drive I was backing up to as well. Then I ran out of USB ports. I should get a hub.


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## medtran49 (May 21, 2016)

We have a ghost drive/RAID system, so with the external drive we should be good.  I don't keep the external plugged in all the time.  Just have a sometimes annoying reminder set up that won't stop until you actually do the backup so it gets done every 7-10 days unless we do something that needs immediate backup.


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## Addie (May 21, 2016)

For recipes not requiring baking I write them as follows:

*My Perfect Fish Batter (IMHO)*​*Ingredients:*
3/4 cup AP flour
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. fresh snipped dill (optional)
3/4 cup ICE cold water
juice of half of a fresh juicy lemon (about 3 Tbs.)

*Directions*
Use a med. bowl, and with a wire whisk, whisk dry ingredients to be sure they are well blended. Have a large skillet ready with an inch of vegetable oil nearly smoking hot.

Squeeze half a juicy lemon into a measuring cup, and fill to the 3/4 line with ICE cold water. Mix quickly into the dry ingredients, till only small lumps remain. It does not need to be smooth. 

With tongs, drag each piece of fish through the batter till well coated on each side. Lay the piece in the hot oil, and continue.

Do not crowd the pieces. You can do this in batches, keeping cooked fish on a rack in a warm oven. It will take a very short time, depending on the thickness of the fish. Do not overcook. Serve with lemon slices 

For baking right after the title I always state to preheat oven to ?ºF. right after the title. 


*Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake*​Preheat oven to 375°.

*Ingredients:*
1/3 cup butter, melted 
2/3 cup packed brown sugar 
1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple 
1/2 cup chopped pecans 
3 eggs, separated 
1 cup sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 

*Directions:*
1.  In an ungreased 9-in.-square baking pan, combine butter and brown sugar.

2. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice. Arrange 9 pineapple slices in a
    single layer over sugar (refrigerate any remaining slices for another use).  

3. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add
    sugar, beating well. Blend in vanilla and reserved pineapple juice. Combine 
    flour, baking powder and salt; add to batter, beating well.

4. In a small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until
    stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Spoon into pan. 

5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
    Let stand 10 minutes before inverting onto serving plate. 

I write them in 14 pt. and Comic Sans. Easy on "Eyes for the elderly" 

I keep my recipes on my computer and a flash drive.


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## Andy M. (May 21, 2016)

Addie said:


> ...I write them in 14 pt. and Comic Sans. Easy on "Eyes for the elderly"



When I started to set the format for my recipes, I increased font size from 11 pt. to 12 pt. so I could read the recipes without my glasses.  Sadly, 12 pt. no longer does the trick.  I don't think 14 pt. is practical so I probably should go back to 11 pt and use my glasses.


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## tenspeed (May 21, 2016)

medtran49 said:


> We have a ghost drive/RAID system, so with the external drive we should be good.


  A RAID array is hard drive fault tolerant, but you still need to have multiple backups, preferably on different media.  At work we had a 10 tape rotation, which is overkill for home use, but necessary for business use (if you want to keep your job).

  If you get hit by ransomware (such as cryptolocker), you will appreciate multiple backup sets so you can go back in time to recover files.  A backup copy of corrupt files is not of any value.


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## Addie (May 21, 2016)

Sometimes recipes are badly written. In order to save them you have to rewrite them so that they make sense. I try to rewrite them in the order they should be done. 

When listing the ingredients, I write them in the order they are added to the recipe. For baking I *always* list preheating temperature for the oven right after the title. You don't want your cake batter or bread dough sitting around waiting for the oven. Title, Ingredients and Directions are always in bold and underlined. And I print them out in 14 pt. Eyes For The Elderly. 

Unfortunately, I copy a recipe to Word just as it is. By the time I get back to writing it as I like and want it, I don't remember where I got it or who wrote it. So I feel safe in sharing it because I change it so much when rewriting it to my liking. I hate recipes where they list the ingredients in paragraph style. Makes for difficulty in reading. But if it looks like a recipe that I like, I will take the time to try and convert it so it is more readable. 

Pirate wants to keep my collection of recipes. So I do try to keep them so that he won't be left trying to figure out what I meant. That has been a big problem for CWS. She inherited her grandmother's and mother's recipe box with notes for just a lot of the recipes. It has been quite a challenge for her.

I have only one cookbook that I go to. And that is for certain bread recipes. Otherwise it is the Internet for me. So folks, if you think your children or the next generation will want your recipes, keep these little tid-bits of information about how to keep your recipes. And let a family member that doesn't live with you know where all your recipes are. That small recipe box is no longer used today. It seems to be all computer run. 

Some members keep their recipes on Cloud. I don't know how to use Cloud and really at age 77, I have no interest in learning new programs. I know how to save to my computer and to a flash drive. I do often write a personal note on my recipes such as I did with my Boston Baked Beans. Such as I prefer using a sifter rather than a whisk for the dry ingredients in a bowl. I am stuck in a rut of the 30's. That is where my mother cooked and she is the one who taught me. I have made and accepted some changes. My mother had a hand egg beater that she used to make whipped cream. I fortunately have not only my KA mixer but also a hand held electric beater.


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## Addie (May 21, 2016)

Andy M. said:


> When I started to set the format for my recipes, I increased font size from 11 pt. to 12 pt. so I could read the recipes without my glasses.  Sadly, 12 pt. no longer does the trick.  I don't think 14 pt. is practical so I probably should go back to 11 pt and use my glasses.



Andy, I have one of these recipe holders. 

http://www.amazon.com/Architec-RR3R...&qid=1463847675&sr=8-3&keywords=Recipe+holder

I love it. I print out my recipes and have it sitting right above on the shelf where I can read the recipe as I follow it. You just have too make sure you leave at least a four inch margin for the bottom when doing a page setup. I never print out or copy the picture. Waste of ink.


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## medtran49 (May 21, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> A RAID array is hard drive fault tolerant, but you still need to have multiple backups, preferably on different media.  At work we had a 10 tape rotation, which is overkill for home use, but necessary for business use (if you want to keep your job).
> 
> If you get hit by ransomware (such as cryptolocker), you will appreciate multiple backup sets so you can go back in time to recover files.  A backup copy of corrupt files is not of any value.



And i guess you didn't read the rest.  The external is NOT hooked up all the time so i think I'll know about malware prior to hooking up the external.


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## Andy M. (May 21, 2016)

Addie said:


> Andy, I have one of these recipe holders.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Architec-RR3R...&qid=1463847675&sr=8-3&keywords=Recipe+holder...



That's  cool device, Addie.  But I don't think it'll help improve my vision.


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## CWS4322 (May 21, 2016)

When I finalize a recipe, I use the format used for the food photographer. The template includes time needed, level of difficulty, tools, ingredients, any steps to before starting, prepping ingredients, e.g. Lemon: zest and juice. Cooking instructions, including while the rice is cooking, prepare the salad. Finally, at the end a plating suggestion. When developing the recipe, I use shorthand symbols (brackets, arrows, a lowercase c with a line overr it, etc.) to indicate which ingreds are timed, etc. The next time  I make it, I weigh ingredients. I take my notes and write up the recipe using the format and pictures. Often I with an idea and run with it.


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## Kayelle (May 21, 2016)

Addie said:


> For recipes not requiring baking I write them as follows:
> 
> *My Perfect Fish Batter (IMHO)*​*Ingredients:*
> 3/4 cup AP flour
> ...



I'm flattered you enjoy my recipe Addie. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/my-perfect-fish-batter-71933.html


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## GotGarlic (May 21, 2016)

Addie said:


> I keep my recipes on my computer and a flash drive.



Flash drives are magnetic media, too. They're not designed to be used for backup, but for moving files from one computer to another.


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## tenspeed (May 21, 2016)

GotGarlic said:


> Flash drives are magnetic media, too. They're not designed to be used for backup, but for moving files from one computer to another.


  I don't want to stray off topic, but flash drives are non-volatile electronic memory, similar to the memory chips in your computer.  Prices have dropped enough so that solid state drives are replacing traditional hard drives in computers (desktops, laptops, notebooks), mostly for performance reasons.  iPads have solid state drives.  Flash drives will work just fine for backups, although they are about ten times the cost of an external hard drive for the same capacity.


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## GotGarlic (May 21, 2016)

They're not designed to be written to multiple times. I'm not willing to risk it. 



> Can USB flash drives serve reliably as backup drives?
> 
> The Answer
> 
> ...



http://www.howtogeek.com/218390/can-a-usb-flash-drive-be-used-reliably-as-a-manual-backup-drive/


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## tenspeed (May 21, 2016)

GotGarlic said:


> They're not designed to be written to multiple times. I'm not willing to risk it.
> 
> 
> 
> Can a USB Flash Drive be Used Reliably as a Manual Backup Drive?


  Sorry, but that's no longer true.  Modern flash drives are designed for more rewrites than a consumer will ever encounter.


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## GotGarlic (May 21, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> Sorry, but that's no longer true.  Modern flash drives are designed for more rewrites than a consumer will ever encounter.



Okay. They do fail, though. 

I guess I'm going to be irrational about this one  I have lost too much data over the years with different types of media, so it gives me great peace of mind to turn the responsibility over to a professional company. It's well worth the $50 or so per year to me. YMMV, of course.


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## Addie (May 21, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> Sorry, but that's no longer true.  Modern flash drives are designed for more rewrites than a consumer will ever encounter.



I don't rewrite over anything ever on my flash drive. I have never had a problem with it yet. I recently plugged in one that was several years old. I came across it when cleaning house. I was curious as to what I had stored on it. No problem opening it or reading anything that was on it.


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## GotGarlic (May 21, 2016)

Addie said:


> I don't rewrite over anything ever on my flash drive. I have never had a problem with it yet. I recently plugged in one that was several years old. I came across it when cleaning house. I was curious as to what I had stored on it. No problem opening it or reading anything that was on it.



I'll see that anecdote and raise you two!


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## Cooking Goddess (May 21, 2016)

Kayelle said:


> I'm flattered you enjoy my recipe Addie. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/my-perfect-fish-batter-71933.html


I hadn't seen your recipe before, *Kayelle*, so I just gave it a glance. It sounds like something I'd like to make. Two questions. First, do you think this would work in a fish taco? When I finally get around to making them, I was planning on just dusting the pieces with flour and doing a shallow-fry. Second, I was thinking that fish might benefit from the dry brining process that is suggested on Serious Eats when preparing shrimp. I tried this process, fell in love with it, and use it all the time when I cook shrimp now, no matter how I cook it. It reads:

You're looking for about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for every pound of shrimp; give it a quick toss and rest the shrimp in the fridge for anywhere from 15 minutes to about an hour. After that 15 minutes, I rinse, pat dry, and return to the fridge to cool its heels for at least an hour.


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## Kayelle (May 21, 2016)

Yes, that batter and method would work great for fish taco's CG. I'd chunk up the fish before frying to have more surface area, or maybe cook strips of fish to lay in the tortilla.

Interesting about the shrimp at Serious Eats! SC came home with a bag of big raw frozen shrimp yesterday, so I'll be trying it soon!


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## Addie (May 22, 2016)

Like I said Kayelle, when I finally got around to typing it up to my style, I had forgotten where I got it from. I still have a pile in my file that needs my attention. Some day I will sit down and go over all of them and type them up.


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## tenspeed (May 22, 2016)

GotGarlic said:


> I have lost too much data over the years with different types of media, so it gives me great peace of mind to turn the responsibility over to a professional company. It's well worth the $50 or so per year to me. YMMV, of course.


  Online storage from a reputable provider is an effective strategy.  I maintain and verify my own backups, because that's what I did for years professionally.  Maintaining the integrity of company data is something that I kept my hand in, as it was my butt if there was a problem.

  But back to the original topic, with apologies to Andy for the diversion.  Now that I'm retired and have a lot more time to pursue new recipes, I'm still working out the best way to maintain my files.  I don't really care about the format.  The one thing that I have started to do is to include the source, as I have a bunch of recipes that I have no idea where they came from.  Many of them are from various web sites, so in addition to the copied recipe, I include the link to the instructions, pictures, etc.  If the source / reference was from a DC member, I also include that.

  I used to keep recipes on 5x8 cards, but am finding that many no longer fit on them if I include detailed instructions.  Now it's regular 8-1/2 x 11 paper.


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## GotGarlic (May 22, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> Online storage from a reputable provider is an effective strategy.  I maintain and verify my own backups, because that's what I did for years professionally.  Maintaining the integrity of company data is something that I kept my hand in, as it was my butt if there was a problem.



So did I, and I always hated it  The most boring, yet important, task ever.


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## RPCookin (May 22, 2016)

Kayelle said:


> Yes, that batter and method would work great for fish taco's CG. I'd chunk up the fish before frying to have more surface area, or maybe cook strips of fish to lay in the tortilla.
> 
> Interesting about the shrimp at Serious Eats! SC came home with a bag of big raw frozen shrimp yesterday, so I'll be trying it soon!



To make them like the ones we had from the street vendors in La Paz, Baja, they'd be about 1 inch square and about 1/2 inch thick.  They put 3 pieces about that size in each tortilla, then you went around to other the side of the cart which was three stepped shelves with at least a dozen different garnishes and condiments that you could mix and match as you liked.  

I've had fish tacos in a lot of US restaurants, and I've had some that were very good, but never anything that could quite compare to what we got in Baja.  Those taco wagons also offered shrimp, octopus, squid... all battered and deep fried, and at that time back in the mid 90's, 7 pesos ($1) each.


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## Souschef (May 22, 2016)

RPCookin said:


> To make them like the ones we had from the street vendors in La Paz, Baja, they'd be about 1 inch square and about 1/2 inch thick.  They put 3 pieces about that size in each tortilla, then you went around to other the side of the cart which was three stepped shelves with at least a dozen different garnishes and condiments that you could mix and match as you liked.
> 
> I've had fish tacos in a lot of US restaurants, and I've had some that were very good, but never anything that could quite compare to what we got in Baja.  Those taco wagons also offered shrimp, octopus, squid... all battered and deep fried, and at that time back in the mid 90's, 7 pesos ($1) each.


After 10,000 miles of bland food on that cruise, we landed at Cabo San Lucas. We headed for an outdoor restaurant right by the pier and ate some wonderful fish tacos with fresh salsa. It was like we knew we were on our way home.


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## Addie (May 22, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> I used to keep recipes on 5x8 cards, but am finding that many no longer fit on them if I include detailed instructions.  Now it's regular 8-1/2 x 11 paper.




Pirate has stated that he wants to start his own collection of his favorite recipes of his childhood. So I have been printing them out for him and he now keeps them in a hard cover 3-ring binder. Included in his collection are more recent recipes that I have found and made. If they were a hit with him, he wants the recipe. I am only too happy to assist him.


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## Addie (May 22, 2016)

Souschef said:


> After 10,000 miles of bland food on that cruise, we landed at Cabo San Lucas. We headed for an outdoor restaurant right by the pier and ate some wonderful fish tacos with fresh salsa. It was like we knew we were on our way home.



When you have a captive audience on a boat, you do have to under season and prepare more or less bland food. It is not like anyone can just step off the boat at any time and buy something more edible on shore.


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## Souschef (May 22, 2016)

Addie said:


> When you have a captive audience on a boat, you do have to under season and prepare more or less bland food. It is not like anyone can just step off the boat at any time and buy something more edible on shore.


Ah, unless you are on a Transatlantic cruise, the ship stops in a port almost every day. You can get off and sample the local cuisine as we did in Lima, and many other ports.


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## rodentraiser (Aug 28, 2016)

I guess I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but I had to ask: Doesn't anyone besides me still use handwritten recipe cards and a recipe box anymore?

I found a wooden recipe box with painted strawberries on it on eBay and got a bunch of old fashioned recipe cards there too. Then I bought a bunch more from House-Mouse (where else?). The recipe box stays on the shelf over my counter. 

I usually fill out one or two cards a day, hoping I'll get caught up soon. I may never, though, at the rate I find recipes I want to try.


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## Addie (Aug 28, 2016)

rodentraiser said:


> I guess I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but I had to ask: Doesn't anyone besides me still use handwritten recipe cards and a recipe box anymore?
> 
> I found a wooden recipe box with painted strawberries on it on eBay and got a bunch of old fashioned recipe cards there too. Then I bought a bunch more from House-Mouse (where else?). The recipe box stays on the shelf over my counter.
> 
> I usually fill out one or two cards a day, hoping I'll get caught up soon. I may never, though, at the rate I find recipes I want to try.



I list every little step so it makes for a long list of steps. By the time I have it all down, there is never enough room for the whole recipe. So it just makes sense to put them in the computer. I also back up my recipes on my flash drive.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 28, 2016)

rodentraiser said:


> I guess I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but I had to ask: Doesn't anyone besides me still use handwritten recipe cards and a recipe box anymore?



I guess not  I had a recipe box for a while, but I never used it much. It doesn't hold enough for me. 

Many years ago, my then-stepmother gave me a photo album with plastic covers over the pages, with some of her favorite recipes in it. I added to it for a long time. Then I started keeping them on the computer and now the photo album is falling apart  

I'm a book lover, and I have two shelves for cookbooks in my kitchen, so now I organize recipes in three-ring binders. When my husband was teaching high school years ago, he got me this recipe holder made by a student in the shop class. Makes it easy to see them.


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## expatgirl (Aug 28, 2016)

I'm ADD to an extent I think, and glad to have sites like this to come to.............I'm considered a good cook and that's what matters to me........I know a lot about a lot of things......I'm confident and don't hesitate to give my opinions on things that I know a lot about.......otherwise I'm ignorant on a lot of other things....you've probably noticed in the past....aren't we all.......it's not a fault.......it's life still in transition....it's okay.........but what a great site to come to.......and I thank all the moderators for their time and efforts.......y'all are dealing with a lot of peope from different cultures, languages, values, etc.,......hats off to you..........


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## larry_stewart (Aug 29, 2016)

I use a 3 ring binder too, but not properly.
For whatever reason, Im too lazy to grand punch the holes so I just stuff the recipes in there like  a folder, then curse every time I need a recipe and they all fall out or I can't find it.  Always saying " This winter Im going to organize the recipes so it never happens again!!"  and as each spring comes around, I just have a thicker, more unorganized folder/ Binder .  Some recipes are hand written by me, some are computer print outs, some clipped from the paper or magazined, some even hand written by my mother , father , or grand father.  And thats why I kinda like having the folder/ binder, is for the ones that are hand written by my parents/ grandmothers.  Kinda cool to see the recipe in their writing.  Some of the recipes even have food stains on them, or a burned corner from being too close to the burner .  Their physical appearance tells a stpry all by themselves.

Another winter project ( which I never get to) is to make a family cook book out of them, with pictures , family stories about each recipe, and save it for when my kids get married and give them each a copy.

One day....,

larry.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 29, 2016)

I'm a compulsive organizer  I keep a three-hole punch on my desk, so I punch the sheets right after I print them. 

The handwritten recipes I have are in the photo album I mentioned. When I move them to the binder, I'll tape them to individual sheets.


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## Andy M. (Aug 29, 2016)

GotGarlic said:


> I'm a compulsive organizer  I keep a three-hole punch on my desk, so I punch the sheets right after I print them...



My three-hole punch sits next to the printer.  I use tabbed dividers.  Staples has neat ones that you can print the labels for.


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