Family Cookbooks
Encyclopedia
Family cookbooks are collections of recipes, sometimes including family history and photos of the family members. These cookbooks may be written in notebooks, put in ring binders, or professionally published by one of several cookbook publishers that cater to families interested in preserving their food heritage.
Families interested in genealogy
sometimes also decide to preserve their recipes, since those recipes often represent a facet of their history. Some older recipes may give clues as to the ethnic origins of the people who cooked it, like lebkuchen
with its German origins or sweet potato pie and its southern United States
roots. Other genealogical clues may be found in recipe boxes, from the things the recipes are written on: old bills (may indicate where a family lived), letters (may contain stories about what was happening in their lives at the time), or newspaper clippings (may have dates).
Other than the historical/genealogical aspect of a family cookbook, they also serve as a way to pass along family traditions
to another generation. It is worth the time to measure the ingredients of a cook who makes her/his dishes from memory, as they prepare it. Some recipes may become lost when the person who always made that recipe (from memory) dies if it's not written down. In addition to the recipe itself, stories about the tradition are also good to include, perhaps special Christmas cookies
were set out for Santa Claus
for many generations, or a traditional Irish meal was made every St. Patrick's Day.
For large families who need to print 100 or more copies of their cookbook, there are several publishers who specialize in printing limited numbers of books. Smaller families have the option of going to their local printer (such as Kinko's), or doing it at home with desktop publishing
.
Families interested in genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
sometimes also decide to preserve their recipes, since those recipes often represent a facet of their history. Some older recipes may give clues as to the ethnic origins of the people who cooked it, like lebkuchen
Lebkuchen
Lebkuchen is a traditional German baked Christmas treat, somewhat resembling gingerbread.Lebkuchen were invented by Medieval monks in Franconia, Germany in the 13th century. Lebkuchen bakers were recorded as early as 1296 in Ulm, and 1395 in Nürnberg...
with its German origins or sweet potato pie and its southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
roots. Other genealogical clues may be found in recipe boxes, from the things the recipes are written on: old bills (may indicate where a family lived), letters (may contain stories about what was happening in their lives at the time), or newspaper clippings (may have dates).
Other than the historical/genealogical aspect of a family cookbook, they also serve as a way to pass along family traditions
Family traditions
Family tradition, also called Family culture, is defined as aggregate of attitudes, ideas and ideals, and environment, which a person inherits from his/her parents and ancestors.- Modern studies of family traditions :...
to another generation. It is worth the time to measure the ingredients of a cook who makes her/his dishes from memory, as they prepare it. Some recipes may become lost when the person who always made that recipe (from memory) dies if it's not written down. In addition to the recipe itself, stories about the tradition are also good to include, perhaps special Christmas cookies
Christmas cookies
Christmas cookies are traditionally sugar biscuits and cookies cut into various shapes related to Christmas.-History:...
were set out for Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
for many generations, or a traditional Irish meal was made every St. Patrick's Day.
For large families who need to print 100 or more copies of their cookbook, there are several publishers who specialize in printing limited numbers of books. Smaller families have the option of going to their local printer (such as Kinko's), or doing it at home with desktop publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
.
Further reading
- Banker, Susan M. Scrapbooking with Recipes. Meredith Publishing Group: Des Moines, IA. 2003.
- Rehmel, Judy. So, You Want to Write a Cookbook!. Marathon International Publishing Company: Louisville, KY. 1984. out-of-print
- Steligo, Kathy. Meals and Memories: How to Create Keepsake Cookbooks. Carlo Press: San Carlos, CA. 1999.