Recipe web sites

Hi everyone,
Back again with yet more questions. This time I'm working on a story about recipe web sites. I'm looking for recipe web sites that really rock your tech-saavy boats. Where do you go (besides searching here)? Do you trust commercially-backed sites? Corporate sponsored sites? do the recipes work? What's the weirdest/challenging recipe you've ever tried off the web?
As someone who is doing more and more web-casting I'm very intrigued too by these sites where there's a recipe video accompanying or even supplanting the texts. Do you find these useful?
Hope I haven't asked too-many questions here but it's a broad topic and I'm trying to get a grasp of it.
All the best,
Bill

I use epicurious.com because of the comments people post on the recipes. You can tell it's a very sophisticated crowd, and they will frequently suggest excellent modifications to a recipe. As with lthforum, what makes a site great is not the technical stuff, but the quality of the people contributing.

Jonah

One of the most entertaining cooking sites I've found in a long time is imcooked.com - a YouTube of cuisine. Among other things, videos of cooking demonstrations from Christopher Walken, Paul McCartney, and Ron Jeremy.

Bill, you'll find another thread on this subject here. Thanks in advance for keeping LTH out in the public eye!

Oh, and to answer your second question, I think my most challenging recipe was modifying samosas using an excellent YouTube video recipe linked in the post as a starting point. I found it through random surfing.

I'm only interested in a video if the recipe is something I've never tried to make. For instance, someone recently posted here with a link to a very simple, non-commerical website that shows how to make samosas and other Indian dishes:
http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/

I found this site at least worth looking at. But to be honest, I haven't tried to make any of the dishes. I have never tried to cook anything based on a video from a website.

Like others, I use epicurious quite a bit, but unlike the earlier poster, I hate the comments and "suggestions." I'm tired of reading "I used beef instead of pork, ginger instead of onions, didn't have carrots or fresh herbs, and included tomato paste and port instead of chopped tomatoes and wine. I didn't like it and I'm never making it again." Useless. And it's too bad, because I think that not all recipes on epicurious are well tested. I wish there were more reliable comments.

To be honest, I rely most on the Cook's Illustrated website (accessible only to subscribers), and even there, I don't bother with the videos.

I also like Cook's Illustrated, and Epicurious (and I like the comments, since more of them are of the form "you'll need to add a bit more liquid than the recipe calls for" than mentioned above). I used to hang out on "Gail's Recipe Swap" at Epicurious, because people talked about the recipe - why choices were made. I also like the Food Network recipe site, because I like how Emeril cooks And Saveur, especially for regional foods. I'll check out their stories and recipes before going somewhere, or after coming back, or if I am really craving something from some part of the world I just can't get here.

Can't STAND it when I see a link for a recipe or technique and see only the video window. I am not sure why, since I like funny or cute videos as much as the next person.

I will use a manufacturer's website if I trust it (vague, I know, but chances are if I trust the quality of their foods, I'll trust their recipes). For example, I have no hesitation picking up a recipe from the King Arthur Flour website.

But here's an example of a local website with some great recipes but a usability rating of about negative one thousand. Penzey's Spices has a great recipe for flat bread (well, except that it calls for dehydrated minced garlic--but tells you how to substitute fresh). Good luck trying to find it. If you go to the Recipes link it gives you recipes that appeared in their catalog, helpfully sorted (not!) by issue! But it only goes back to winter 06 and the flat bread recipe appeared in the summer of 1999. If you search for "flat bread" you'll find a picture of the Summer 1999 catalog, with a red note indicating that the flat bread is a favorite recipe from that issue--but again no link to the recipe! The solution is to search for "flatbread" (one word). Voila! There's the recipe, complete with video. Most people would have given up long before.

Like others here, however, my mainstay is Cook's Illustrated. I have no hesitation using one of their recipes for company even though I may never have tried it out before. In fact earlier this month I made my first ever chocolate souffle, confident that if I followed the recipe it would be excellent--and indeed it was.

Recipe sites I don't trust. allrecipes.com and other sites that just seem to pick up recipes from anywhere and everywhere (no quality control). Any recipe site associated with a diet program (they have something other than taste as a priority--I'd much rather go to the light recipe section of Cook's Illustrated).

But really, except for Cook's Illustrated, I seldom start my search at a recipe or cooking site. I'm much more likely to just type "recipe" and then some key ingredients into Google and browse among all the choices that come up. That leaves me open to the possibility that the definitive recipe for lamb with apricots may come from the Canadian distributers of New Zealand lamb.

I use epicurious due to the reviews, though I use allrecipes.com to store my own recipes in a private file- it's nice to have them online in one place.

I also started a tastebook on Epicurious, using my recipe box and adding my own recipes and photos; a great feature. I'm with Ann Fisher, sometimes just doing a name or ingredient search will bring up great hits (and those can even be on Allrecipes or the like, but if you're more specific you weed out the canned-soup recipes) I also sometimes do searches in Spanish, which increase the authenticity of the recipes I've been searching (and then I robo-translate them, though my Kitchen Spanish is slowly getting better) I haven't yet been brave enough to branch out into other languages...

My ideal food website, which I haven't yet found:

Pulls recipes from media (magazines, TV shows, cookbooks) I use and trust, and includes the article
Offers feedback AND ratings from other users
Offers a menu-or meal-planning option that dumps several recipes into a shopping list
Offers recipe scaling
Offers a recipe file or bookmarking
Offers a build-your-own printed cookbook
Offers photos of the process and/or finished product
Offers an easy-to-print option in various sizes (being in the kitchen is darn hard on the laptop)

Mhays wrote:My ideal food website, which I haven't yet found:

Pulls recipes from media (magazines, TV shows, cookbooks) I use and trust, and includes the article
Offers feedback AND ratings from other users
Offers a menu-or meal-planning option that dumps several recipes into a shopping list
Offers recipe scaling
Offers a recipe file or bookmarking
Offers a build-your-own printed cookbook
Offers photos of the process and/or finished product
Offers an easy-to-print option in various sizes (being in the kitchen is darn hard on the laptop)

This is a great wishlist. I would only add "offers nutritional value information."

I'm a big visual person, so these days I find myself pulling from blogs. I love the photography, personality, and story behind the recipe. The blogs have really inspired me to test out new recipes that I wouldn't have ordinarily tried on my own such as homemade english muffins, pizza dough, and nutella. I've also been lured into purchasing a couple of cookbooks due to the personal experience and photographs of the end results from the bloggers.

I use GoogleReader to help me catch all the new postings. If I find a recipe that I really like, I'll either star it or copy it into Google Docs. I started to use Tastebook, but I didn't really like how there were so many different input boxes, and (unless I am blind to the option) I also wanted the ability to print from it.

Otherwise, I'll search from epicurious, cook's illustrated, recipezaar, foodtv, and allrecipes.

I have a number of recipes bookmarked from Leite's Culinara. They get permission weekly to publish recipes from different cookbooks. It's really an excellent site.

Best,
Michael

HI,

I'm going to sound a bit like a Chamber of Commerce representative. I often scan the LAZ supported LTHforum recipe index, Bridgestone's Swedish recipe index and Antonius' recipe index. I grew up watching Julia Child for lunch every day. She made everything seem so approachable. I feel the same about the recipes and techniques people take the time to explain here.

I like Epicurious recipe index, because of the recipe dialogue. It often helps to steer clear of problems or someone may explain a technique better than the recipe's author. I once drove a high profile cookery author from a Culinary Historian's event to their next engagement. We were talking about recipes on the internet, where I went into a reverie about the user comments on Epicurious recipes. Her voice got icy when she observed, "Yes, unless it is your recipe they are discussing." After a few moments silence, the subject quickly changed.

I will go to Food.TV, though I find their keyword search not as convenient. I would prefer it if they would accept more than one keyword at a time. Unless I am doing something wrong, you have to begin with the major ingredient keyword, then in subsequent searches mention other ingredients.

If I am looking for an obscure, ethnic recipe. The internet can seem like a good beginning except you may find the same recipe, maybe with slight edits, all over the internet. In those instances, getting several books from that ethnicity may provide more varied opinion than the internet.

I will also go to historic website for recipes, though those recipes are written in the briefest of terms. Last week I made hardtack and Johnnie Cakes for a Civil War related discussion. The recipe for the Johnnie Cake ingredients were cornmeal, salt, milk and baking soda. To activate the baking soda, I knew there should have been buttermilk or some other acid source. I assume either the original recipe was amended. Otherwise it was as-stated but you were supposed to know buttermilk should be used when milk was stated. I simply switched to baking powder: 1 teaspoon equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

I will use the Saveur index to find a recipe I recall reading, but I don't always find what I am looking for. I don't know if it is an indexing issue or some recipes have a limited exposure, but I find myself digging up the magazine issue with the recipe. It may have since improved, though this is why I don't use it as much presently.

I am a subscriber to CooksIllustrated.com, which seems redundant since I own every issue. However it is very quick and convenient to get to the information I want.

Otherwise I play recipe roulette by using internet search engines, which is especially helpful when you have unlikely to comingle ingredients on hand. Sure more often than not I find myself directed to Cooks.com, though I can find a website I would never have dreamed of. A lot of chamber of commerce or tourist bureau's will feature regional recipes. I do get a few odd looks from my family when I announce, "Dinner tonight is from Azerbaijan!"

Variety is the spice of life, which the internet fuels quite well.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote: I do get a few odd looks from my family when I announce, "Dinner tonight is from Azerbaijan!"

Much as I pray for high-quality soup dumplings, that is a quote that deserves the banner!

Mhays wrote:

Cathy2 wrote: I do get a few odd looks from my family when I announce, "Dinner tonight is from Azerbaijan!"

Much as I pray for high-quality soup dumplings, that is a quote that deserves the banner!

Ironically it would be quotes from the same person.

Regards,

Cathy, if there's anybody on this forum to deserve two quotes in a row, it's you!

I like about.com's food section: http://www.about.com/food/

and how stuff works: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/

Both contain lots of recipes and how to articles.

Hi,

People have also referred to youtube.com as a source for recipe mining and to learn technique.

Before I was aware of youtube.com, I used the film clip feature in my digital camera to capture cooking techniques. Amongst the first was LTHforum poster SushiGaijan who had a three-touch method for making sushi. I knew the information would fly out of my brain the moment I left. I made a film clip to remind myself that ultimately ended up on youtube.com: http://www.youtube.com/user/CathyX2

I have made other technique clips on Chinese noodle stretching, Deta making burek, spanakopita, pierogi, peeling chestnuts, octopus balls, making naan and whatever catches my fancy. This really began as something for my personal use that could be shared on the internet.

While my efforts are crude, some amateurs acquire digital motion cameras to make extended cooking classes, like Surfinsapo in Texas. He has a small clutch of fans who occasionally send gifts like Louisiana popcorn rice, which he gratefully acknowledges in his video casts.

Not so long ago these amateur cooking instructions was largely confined to boring friends and family. Now we can bore the entire net universe at the click of a mouse.

Regards,

My mainstay is definitely epicurious.com
second go to is the food network website foodtv.com
(especially if it's something from GoodEats)
cooks Illustrated is great if its a freebie, but I haven't sprung for a subscription yet

I will on occasion google when I'm looking for something really off-beat
(braised rabbit, french bistro-style, anyone?)

It would be nice to have one place to pull it all together...

I'm not snobbish about or partial to one site. When I'm searching the internet for a recipe I like to find several options and pick the one I like the best. So I check the Cook's Illustrated site, but also the Food Network site, allrecipes.com, and recipezaar.com.

A while ago I had a craving for some Chilean food, which I've missed since I moved back home from there. Googling around multiple sites, I was surprised at how many good recipes for favorite Chilean dishes I was able to find.

Still haven't found a pebre recipe that works for me though. Maybe I'll just have to go to the Latin Sandwich Cafe and ask if they'll sell it to me by the quart.

If you're looking to bake cupcakes, try: http://www.cupcakeblog.com/
Or http://visualrecipes.com for lots of things.
Or http://www.marthastewart.com, she knows everything, after all.

How Stuff Works does indeed put out a lot of nice stuff. Also, try the Cooking Light and Taste of Home websites, they might have some. I use their magazines all the time and they're great.

Hi,

Taste of Home magazine outsells Cook's Illustrated, Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Saveur combined. Once I learned this, then Cook's Illustrated launching of Cook's Country suddenly made sense.

I have subscribed to Taste of Home, which claims to have 1000 editors. There was a promotion where one of these editors would mail you a homemade cookie. I waited and waited, though I never got one cookie.

When I am competing at the State Fair, I always ask if people are subscribers to Cook's Country. I find usually at least half of those present do. A few years ago the lady who won first prize in pork as well as the overall championship, obtained her recipe from a compendium of home economist's favorite recipes. I have to admit that is not the book I would likely pick up.

Regards,

Katie wrote:Still haven't found a pebre recipe that works for me though.

You may have tried this already, but allow me to use your example for some international google-fu:

Enter "recetas pebre"into Google window. Choose a likely-looking recipe index (I'm with C2, tourism bureaus are a good way to go) and hit the [Translate this page] bar to the right of the page name - be forewarned, this can result in some kooky (and fun) mistranslations,* but you should be able to get the gist. If the text you want for some reason doesn't appear translated, you can cut and paste it into the Google Translater. I also use Wordreference.com to re-translate the words that obviously don't make sense.

* Can you decipher my family's favorite robo-translation? "Language of Cow with Popes in Wine"

google-fu? I love it.
And thanks to all of you for your suggestions. much appreciated...

One of my favorite recipe sites is http://www.elise.com/recipes/ (being a photography lover, I may be a bit swayed by the great pictures of the food also)

And Cooks Illustrated, but that's already been repeated many times!

Thanks for the tips, Mhays. I have found some pebre recipes on the internet, but the result didn't come close to what I remember having in Chile (and what every Chilean seems to know how to make at home -- dang! I should have been paying more attention when I was there. At least I learned how to mix up a blender-full of pisco sours). I've been so disappointed with my own attempts to make pebre at home that I am about ready to try to talk LSC into selling me some, but I'll take your advice and keep googling til I find what I'm looking for.

billdaley wrote:google-fu? I love it.

Wish I could take credit, but I stole it from germuska, who may or may not have stolen it from Binko...all those other sites are great, but they'll never teach me the things I learn here!

Have any of you used Allrecipes.com? http://allrecipes.com They also have a review section that's very helpful.

Mike...I have a few friends who really love allrecipes.com and even though they are people whose opinion I trust as far as food, I have yet to hit my own groove with the site. I use epicurious mainly because the people who take the time to review recipes seem to share the same opinions regarding food that I have. With allrecipes I never feel like I have a clue as to who these people are that have reviewed a dish, and whether they cook the same sort of food that I do. I still go to the site and search, but have probably only printed out a handful of recipes.

I like Cook's Illustrated because of the way they explain the whys and wherefores of a dish and what makes one way work as opposed to another.

I like allrecipes.com for "home cooking" types dishes. Chicken and rice casseroles, etc.

For fine cuisine - epicurious and martha stewart are the best i've found.

A couple that have not been mentioned:

http://thepioneerwomancooks.com - her gorgeous pictures and witty prose really make the site. i've made a couple of the recipes - Olive Bread and Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich. They were both good, but not amazing. I really want to make the cinnamon rolls.

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/ - This is another fun site with steps well broken down and all recipes reflected like science experiments.

One thing I really like about Allrecipes is the "scaling" feature. I live alone, so I’m mostly cooking for myself. I don’t want to have to figure out how to cut something down from 12 servings to two or three. I will also just use Google to search for a recipe......or 10,000...LOL