My dear friend Ruth asked me yesterday if it is the family cookbook writer’s responsibility to test every recipe before it goes into the family cookbook.

I pondered that question for a moment and neatly side-stepped the query (I thought) by replying: “It seems to me that all the tried and true family favorite recipes are already tested over generations, so it seems silly to test them again, don’t you think?”

Ruth persisted: “Well what about the old traditional recipes that nobody makes anymore, but still want to keep in the family cookbook just for old time’s sake. Isn’t there an obligation to see if the recipe still works with currently available ingredients and cooking techniques?”

She had a point. While I agreed in principle, I still disagreed for the following top 5 reasons not to test recipes before adding them to your family cookbook:

1.  Testing each recipe before adding it to my cookbook software recipe template would put a tremendous extra burden upon the cookbook writer. This person already has the responsibility to add the recipes and proofread them, not to mention choosing a design template and adding photos and family stories (all very simple tasks, however, when using my cookbook software).

2.  Testing each recipe before adding it to my cookbook software recipe template would do no good, really. No matter how well the recipe is tested, results will be different depending upon the cook’s savvy and the ingredients used (or not used).

3.  Testing each recipe before adding it to my cookbook software recipe template would be expensive.  Let’s face it, none of us have the extensive budgets available for test kitchens of those big home-and-hearth magazines, so why pretend to be able to afford to test every recipe. It’s just not practical or cost effective.

4.  Testing each recipe before adding it to my cookbook software recipe template would take time and delay completion of the family cookbook. Unless the task of testing can be divvied up among family members, testing every recipe would set back the family cookbook’s production schedule, possibly indefinitely.

5.  Testing each recipe before adding it to my cookbook software recipe template would  inevitably insult some family member to no end. Not many of us want to bear the wrath of Aunt Martha. Anyway, don’t you trust your own family’s tastes?

In my opinion, Ruth’s question did have merit for one specific cookbook circumstance: when a cookbook is going to be sold, such as for fundraising purposes. There is a greater obligation to ensure that the recipe formulas do indeed work and that a reasonably palatable product will result in exchange for the price paid.  So in that situation, I think as many recipes as possible should be verified.

Making a recipe book? Check out all the recipe software and cookbook binding supplies we have at CookbookPeople.com.

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