Is recipe writing a lost art? Or do we all conform to a set style for a reason? Also: why headnotes are my favourite part of a recipe, and why I find my own debut cookbook frustrating to cook from.
This is a great read, Rachel, and has so many excellent points. As someone who has spent way more time reading and trying recipes than writing them, I think the best way to write instructions for the home cook really depends on what you’re making. If it’s something more complex, I certainly appreciate having the equipment listed first, as in your food processor example. In an ideal world, we would read carefully through the recipe and instructions first, but listing the part about the equipment first helps it to not be missed. Also sometimes it really does make a difference if you use a large bowl or a small one! I’m thinking of a recipe I make fairly frequently that specifies using a large bowl in the first step because later in that same bowl you have to add chicken (and if you choose a small one it’s not all going to fit). At the same time, I agree that if you’re making a sauce or a dressing, it’s much less important to explain to the reader what recipient they need to choose.
Good for you for winning the argument on your nonpareille capers (side note that these are always the capers I reach for and I agree that they’re more flavorful)! It’s interesting that British publishers may be more strict than their American counterparts, and I guess in a way it makes sense, at least from a language perspective. Your comment actually made me think of the Oxford English Dictionary vs. Merriam-Webster. It’s my understanding (and please someone correct me if I’m wrong!) that it’s much easier for a word to make it into Merriam-Webster when compared to the OED, especially when it comes to more of-the-moment words like internet slang. Maybe in the same way there’s more of a sense of following tradition for British publishers? There are pros and cons to both styles, I suppose- it’s nice to be allowed some leeway, but too much could lead to disastrous results, particularly for something like a cookbook.
Thanks Kiki! You've reminded me of another of my frustrations, that people don't read recipes properly before trying to follow them, which makes my job a lot harder!
I'm going to dig into the dictionary thing - I have no idea, though I know playing Scrabble it is so much easier to get random 'is that really a word?' words through if you allow the American dictionary into the game too!
I enjoyed this, Rachel. I realised that I do not really know who you are and what you do (I do not really remember why and when I subscribed!), so I checked your stuff a bit and I will try one of your recipes on the weekend. I decided for Salmon & Pea Pasta with Lemon and Crème Fraîche. Any other suggestion?
On the topic of recipes, I think majority of books are hit or miss, for example, I really enjoyed one of Ramsay's books, but found the other 3 I had more like 'meh'. I use BBC a lot, and it could be I even cooked something you created? :)
I also find that a lot, and also with no consistency among authors. I've got massive respect for anyone who writes cookbooks, though, and recipes in general. Trying to write and create something that will translate perfectly to so may different kitchens, with so many different variables from the thickness of their pans to the brand of tomatoes they buy is tough. I do my best, at least triple testing my recipes, giving them to other people to try, and cooking them again myself in my mothers kitchen with her pans, her heat sources (she cooks on an AGA, and her oven is so different to mine) and her ingredients (though that being said we use mostly the same brands of things!) to try and spot issues and differences.
Thanks. I will try with the salmon first, and put the rest on my list. I actually only keep a library with links to excellent recipes, so I only have limited experience with writing them myself, but I did it recently and its crazy how much you need to test and try, I think I made the same soup at least 10 times. :)
I love that me mentioning this rant lead to a long and thoughtful piece, Rachel. Thank you. You've made many good points here about recipe writing.
I didn't know that there was such a difference between British and American publishers in terms of the rigidity of the writing. We do have style sheets, but they're mostly about spelling and numbering conventions. Still, someone wrote on Twitter that two of the American publishing houses she worked with said to write "In a bowl, combine."
It's been fun to have people disagree about this writing convention. Their main points are that the equipment comes first; and that it's clearer to state it that way.
Thanks for inspiring it! I will add that I've both been very lucky and very unlucky, whilst I had a horrible time during the editing process for my first manuscript, I hardly had any style clashes for the second, adding the caveat there by then I'd already absorbed the BBC style which is a very good indicator I think for how we do things here!
I love this conversation! I think about it all the time in my own newsletter writing because I have intentionally thrown off the yoke of the ingredients list and opted for a full narrative approach. I know that, in doing so, I lose all the "jump to recipe" readers. I also made this decision after reading the millions of reader notes on any given recipe site that all seem to say "I did not have [whatever] and used [whatever] instead" or "I love this recipe!" followed a vast catalogue of substitutions that they made. At this point, I'm resigned to the fact that many people do not follow a recipe to the letter. I know that I, personally, always adjust the spice and herb measurements based on taste. There is always a balance between giving the reader all the information they need to properly execute the recipe and leaving room for the individual to make their own choices (the "fold in the cheese" moment from Schitt's Creek comes to mind). For the record, I am not a professional recipe developer/writer, but I am a writer who loves food. (Love your newsletter, btw)
One of the things I love about Substack is that we're not beholden to Google and algorithms, which is why the "jump to recipe" thing really does not matter here! I'm going to check your newsletter out because whilst I'll admit I do find them tricky to follow, I love to read narratively written recipes. And yes, it may drive me around the bend when people comment having made a tonne of substitutions (and they complain the recipe has failed, no shit!) but I will admit to sometimes changing them too - I try to stick rigidly to a recipe the very first time I make it and go from there, but sometimes I do decide that the author did not have a clue what they were doing, or only tested something cooking on gas (which I don't have) or similar and go off-piste half way through!
This was lovely! I find I actually skim less if a recipe is written in a more conversational style. And I find many conventionally written cookbooks "boring" precisely because they have eliminated so much of the author's voice. I wonder if we won't see a change in publishing start to happen as publishers realize that the internet is too much competition for traditional recipes-only cookbooks and start to allow more authorial voice to break through. Because although I also constantly explain SEO and how getting paid on the internet works to the complainers, and I feel for a lot of food bloggers, there's a lot of bad writing out there! I'd rather read a whole cookbook.
This is a really curious question that remains to be seen. It would be nice if we did see it, but this has reminded me a lot of the publishing gatekeepers as quality control argument. I know I'm speaking from the privileged position of having a brilliant literary agent to knock down barriers to getting my books published for me, but I'm very much of a mind that traditional publishing - whilst there are some issues that it narrows the diversity of books that get published that should be addressed - act as essential quality control, because so much of the internet, food internet especially is awash with bad writing and poorly tested recipes. It is a conundrum, because the quality control is why I'd rather read a whole cookbook too!
Gatekeeping in publishing is a serious problem, although I think we're starting to see some change. I find gatekeeping in academic publishing (usually through jargon, over-wrought arguments, and writing for an extremely niche academic audience) to be equally frustrating. There has to be some balance between accessible language and content for the general public and the rigor of professional publishing.
Academic publishing baffles me (my boyfriend is a recovering academic!) - I can't get over the resistance to change, also the preferred writing styles - he's won awards for academic writing but I find the language in his thesis unnecessarily obtuse and very difficult to read!
This is a great read, Rachel, and has so many excellent points. As someone who has spent way more time reading and trying recipes than writing them, I think the best way to write instructions for the home cook really depends on what you’re making. If it’s something more complex, I certainly appreciate having the equipment listed first, as in your food processor example. In an ideal world, we would read carefully through the recipe and instructions first, but listing the part about the equipment first helps it to not be missed. Also sometimes it really does make a difference if you use a large bowl or a small one! I’m thinking of a recipe I make fairly frequently that specifies using a large bowl in the first step because later in that same bowl you have to add chicken (and if you choose a small one it’s not all going to fit). At the same time, I agree that if you’re making a sauce or a dressing, it’s much less important to explain to the reader what recipient they need to choose.
Good for you for winning the argument on your nonpareille capers (side note that these are always the capers I reach for and I agree that they’re more flavorful)! It’s interesting that British publishers may be more strict than their American counterparts, and I guess in a way it makes sense, at least from a language perspective. Your comment actually made me think of the Oxford English Dictionary vs. Merriam-Webster. It’s my understanding (and please someone correct me if I’m wrong!) that it’s much easier for a word to make it into Merriam-Webster when compared to the OED, especially when it comes to more of-the-moment words like internet slang. Maybe in the same way there’s more of a sense of following tradition for British publishers? There are pros and cons to both styles, I suppose- it’s nice to be allowed some leeway, but too much could lead to disastrous results, particularly for something like a cookbook.
Thanks Kiki! You've reminded me of another of my frustrations, that people don't read recipes properly before trying to follow them, which makes my job a lot harder!
I'm going to dig into the dictionary thing - I have no idea, though I know playing Scrabble it is so much easier to get random 'is that really a word?' words through if you allow the American dictionary into the game too!
Writing about recipes is hard. Thanks for the effort!
I enjoyed this, Rachel. I realised that I do not really know who you are and what you do (I do not really remember why and when I subscribed!), so I checked your stuff a bit and I will try one of your recipes on the weekend. I decided for Salmon & Pea Pasta with Lemon and Crème Fraîche. Any other suggestion?
On the topic of recipes, I think majority of books are hit or miss, for example, I really enjoyed one of Ramsay's books, but found the other 3 I had more like 'meh'. I use BBC a lot, and it could be I even cooked something you created? :)
I'm so glad you found me then - welcome! That is one of my favourite recent recipes, also on the pasta front my Prawn & Chorizo Pasta (https://www.rachelphipps.com/2020/02/prawn-chorizo-pasta.html) is a blog reader favourite and I still make it all the time when I've got chorizo in the fridge, and over at the BBC my Easy Okonomiyaki (https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_okonomiyaki_78828), Honey Chilli Chicken (https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/honey_chilli_chicken_51950) and my Sausage Bake with Gnocchi (https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sausage_and_gnocchi_bake_80924) are both also super popular and among my favourites!
I also find that a lot, and also with no consistency among authors. I've got massive respect for anyone who writes cookbooks, though, and recipes in general. Trying to write and create something that will translate perfectly to so may different kitchens, with so many different variables from the thickness of their pans to the brand of tomatoes they buy is tough. I do my best, at least triple testing my recipes, giving them to other people to try, and cooking them again myself in my mothers kitchen with her pans, her heat sources (she cooks on an AGA, and her oven is so different to mine) and her ingredients (though that being said we use mostly the same brands of things!) to try and spot issues and differences.
Thanks. I will try with the salmon first, and put the rest on my list. I actually only keep a library with links to excellent recipes, so I only have limited experience with writing them myself, but I did it recently and its crazy how much you need to test and try, I think I made the same soup at least 10 times. :)
https://lindyrecipe.com/soup/traditional-slovenian-recipe-prezganka-soup/
Oh I like the idea of your site, so it is essentially reviewing good recipes from elsewhere?
I hope you enjoy the pasta!
I did it! It was great, even published it! https://lindyrecipe.com/main/pasta-with-salmon-frozen-peas-and-wine-based-sauce/
Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed it, it looks great! Thanks so much for sharing x
Thanks Rachel. I'll test some of your other stuff too. And Guten Appetit.
It is only excellent recipes that make it, not really reviews. :)
I did it to digitize it my own collection, so that I also get ideas what to cook myself. It is only a hobby. Gonna let you know how I liked the pasta.
I love that me mentioning this rant lead to a long and thoughtful piece, Rachel. Thank you. You've made many good points here about recipe writing.
I didn't know that there was such a difference between British and American publishers in terms of the rigidity of the writing. We do have style sheets, but they're mostly about spelling and numbering conventions. Still, someone wrote on Twitter that two of the American publishing houses she worked with said to write "In a bowl, combine."
It's been fun to have people disagree about this writing convention. Their main points are that the equipment comes first; and that it's clearer to state it that way.
Thanks for inspiring it! I will add that I've both been very lucky and very unlucky, whilst I had a horrible time during the editing process for my first manuscript, I hardly had any style clashes for the second, adding the caveat there by then I'd already absorbed the BBC style which is a very good indicator I think for how we do things here!
I love this conversation! I think about it all the time in my own newsletter writing because I have intentionally thrown off the yoke of the ingredients list and opted for a full narrative approach. I know that, in doing so, I lose all the "jump to recipe" readers. I also made this decision after reading the millions of reader notes on any given recipe site that all seem to say "I did not have [whatever] and used [whatever] instead" or "I love this recipe!" followed a vast catalogue of substitutions that they made. At this point, I'm resigned to the fact that many people do not follow a recipe to the letter. I know that I, personally, always adjust the spice and herb measurements based on taste. There is always a balance between giving the reader all the information they need to properly execute the recipe and leaving room for the individual to make their own choices (the "fold in the cheese" moment from Schitt's Creek comes to mind). For the record, I am not a professional recipe developer/writer, but I am a writer who loves food. (Love your newsletter, btw)
One of the things I love about Substack is that we're not beholden to Google and algorithms, which is why the "jump to recipe" thing really does not matter here! I'm going to check your newsletter out because whilst I'll admit I do find them tricky to follow, I love to read narratively written recipes. And yes, it may drive me around the bend when people comment having made a tonne of substitutions (and they complain the recipe has failed, no shit!) but I will admit to sometimes changing them too - I try to stick rigidly to a recipe the very first time I make it and go from there, but sometimes I do decide that the author did not have a clue what they were doing, or only tested something cooking on gas (which I don't have) or similar and go off-piste half way through!
This was lovely! I find I actually skim less if a recipe is written in a more conversational style. And I find many conventionally written cookbooks "boring" precisely because they have eliminated so much of the author's voice. I wonder if we won't see a change in publishing start to happen as publishers realize that the internet is too much competition for traditional recipes-only cookbooks and start to allow more authorial voice to break through. Because although I also constantly explain SEO and how getting paid on the internet works to the complainers, and I feel for a lot of food bloggers, there's a lot of bad writing out there! I'd rather read a whole cookbook.
This is a really curious question that remains to be seen. It would be nice if we did see it, but this has reminded me a lot of the publishing gatekeepers as quality control argument. I know I'm speaking from the privileged position of having a brilliant literary agent to knock down barriers to getting my books published for me, but I'm very much of a mind that traditional publishing - whilst there are some issues that it narrows the diversity of books that get published that should be addressed - act as essential quality control, because so much of the internet, food internet especially is awash with bad writing and poorly tested recipes. It is a conundrum, because the quality control is why I'd rather read a whole cookbook too!
Gatekeeping in publishing is a serious problem, although I think we're starting to see some change. I find gatekeeping in academic publishing (usually through jargon, over-wrought arguments, and writing for an extremely niche academic audience) to be equally frustrating. There has to be some balance between accessible language and content for the general public and the rigor of professional publishing.
Academic publishing baffles me (my boyfriend is a recovering academic!) - I can't get over the resistance to change, also the preferred writing styles - he's won awards for academic writing but I find the language in his thesis unnecessarily obtuse and very difficult to read!