What Notebook To Use For Writing Recipes?

[Honeythief]

In the mail today I got a beautiful Leuchtturm1917 medium sized notebook, and the paper is so lovely that I can't decide how I want to use it. My husband said I should use it to write our favourite recipes in, maybe adding something new every week that we have cooked and enjoyed together. I'm a bit reluctant though as I don't want to get food on it, or greasy stains. Maybe I should just use it anyway - it's certainly no good to anybody if I leave it in a cupboard forever, although I do realise that I don't have to decide straight away.

 

If you were going to compile a collection of favourite recipes, what would you write it in?

Edited July 3, 2012 by Honeythief

[Danni2989]

I'd use one of Paperchase's recipe books personally but, using the Leuchtturm1917 sounds like a good idea - I mean, it's got a contents page that'd be perfect for this sort of thing. Besides, if you do use it for recipes, it gives you a reason to buy one for yourself for personal use

 

~ Danni

[inkypete]

Home made recipe books are great resources and I wouldn't worry if it gets a little soiled - all part of what it is meant for. Get writing and share a recipe with us all occasionally. These books of kitchen notes are usually great hand me downs for generations to come. Maybe add the recipe and a little bit about the dinner. Who was there, what you did that day etc.

[DanielCoffey]

Providing it has a wipe-clean cover and lies relatively flat when in use, any journal with plenty of space will be good. Don't use anything too cramped since you will want to spread out your writing. Blank un-ruled pages will be fine because you can use a guide sheet when writing. I would say A5 size at a minimum.

 

Oh, and remember to use a water-resistant ink such as an Iron Gall or something by Noodlers.

[Honeythief]

Good call on the waterproof inks. I probably wouldn't have thought of that until too late!

 

Danni, Paperchase charge £20.00 per delivery to New Zealand which is steep so I probably won't order from them, but thanks for the recommendation anyway

[inkypete]

notemaker.com.au is a good spot to try. they deliver to NZ for a reasonable price and free for orders over $95. They have a fanatastic range too including Clairefontaine and Rhodia.

[Danni2989]

Sheesh, that's expensive! I mean, their delivery to those in the UK is pricey so I'm not sure what I was expecting. Anyhow, that's just what I would use - as I said I think the LLeuchtturm1917 would be a fine choice.

 

Out of interest, what colour is it?

 

~ Danni

[Honeythief]

Inkypete, it was actually a delivery from Notemaker yesterday that included this new Leuchtturm notebook. They do have very reasonable flat rate shipping to NZ.

 

The one I bought is just basic black. I had intended it for office use so wanted something professional-looking, but it's just too lovely to scribble meeting notes in!

[inkypete]

Inkypete, it was actually a delivery from Notemaker yesterday that included this new Leuchtturm notebook. They do have very reasonable flat rate shipping to NZ.

 

The one I bought is just basic black. I had intended it for office use so wanted something professional-looking, but it's just too lovely to scribble meeting notes in!

 

Glad you were pleased with their service. They are good people.

[stonezebra]

For a little protection you could always throw a piece of plastic over the page while cooking (page protector or cling film, something like that) in addition to the waterproof ink.

[bogiesan]

Molekine has a recipe- and food-specific journal.

 

http://www.moleskineus.com/mbl20-moleskine-passions-recipe-journal.html

 

I'd suggest you look for tools designed specifically for culinary purposes like recipe cards, boxes, clear plastic pages for binders, and waterproof systems like Rite In The Rain.

 

Our collections of recipes from several generations are scattered among several looseleaf binders and recipe card boxes. We sometimes think, "Gee, it would be cool to scan all of these and put them in a databse." And then we lookat what might be gained and dismiss the idea as silly. The cool thing about my grondmother's recipe notebook is the marginalia, the butter stains and the memories these recipes invoke. All of that would be lost in a digital version.

[Honeythief]

Oh, I didn't know about that Moleskine cookery-specific notebook. The layout looks perfect. I have never used any Moleskine products, partly because of the reviews here which are not entirely favourable, but also partly because I have a negative association with this brand and the type of person who looks pretentious in coffee shops. That may not be entirely fair!

[inkypete]

Oh, I didn't know about that Moleskine cookery-specific notebook. The layout looks perfect. I have never used any Moleskine products, partly because of the reviews here which are not entirely favourable, but also partly because I have a negative association with this brand and the type of person who looks pretentious in coffee shops. That may not be entirely fair!

It is fair - generally Moleskin paper is not FP friendly. Sometimes the paper varies, even within the one notebook, and can be good but its just not worth the risk. I love the whole moleskin thing but as a FP user I don't trust them. Buy at your own risk.

[bogiesan]

Oh, I didn't know about that Moleskine cookery-specific notebook. The layout looks perfect. I have never used any Moleskine products, partly because of the reviews here which are not entirely favourable, but also partly because I have a negative association with this brand and the type of person who looks pretentious in coffee shops. That may not be entirely fair!

 

Looking pretentious in a café implies one knows something about espresso or, at least, a bit about coffees, which are every bit as interesting as wines.

 

I can look a fool, a twit or a serious geek depending on what tool I am wielding: my Macintosh, my iPad or my pocket notebook (often a molie but just as likely a similar form factor). You know what REALLY screams pretense in a cafe? Using a fountain pen!

 

You may like the mollie culinary notebook for many reasons other than its suitability for your pens. The passions ranges of notebooks and journals appear to be well designed if a bit, umm, pretentious. I mean, how many of us need a separate, full size notebook for movies, wines, chocolate, dogs, gardening and recipes?

[Honeythief]

Bogiesan, the type of person that I have in mind with the negative association probably doesn't know the first thing about good coffee. They just want it to appear that they do, and that their work is too important to do anywhere but in public. You probably know the type I mean, the ones who go to coffee shops with all the right hipster accessories and the aim of being seen And, like I said, I know that negative association is not entirely fair - it's just the first thing that springs to mind when I see the brand name.

 

I've never understood the perceived link between using a fountain pen and being pretentious, though. Maybe it's because I grew up in a culture where young children were expected to use them at school once we had mastered writing with pencil. They were a cheap and common writing tool, and still are in many places. To me, using a fountain pen is no more or less pretentious than using a pencil or a ballpoint or any other sort of writing implement that is still readily available. You don't say where you are, but I suppose the difference in our perception is a cultural thing.

 

Anyway, I doubt I will purchase from Moleskine if their paper isn't suitable for my pens (I do not want to buy any more disposable pens so I will only have fountain pens left before long, once my gel pens run out), but I do like that recipe layout. Maybe I just need to make my own version using more suitable paper, or follow one of the other suggestions on this thread.