Recipe management?

There are several threads on the Hotline regarding how cooks keep and manage their recipes. But the newest one I found seems to be three years old. I use and love Gourmet (formerly known as MacGourmet). My daughter uses a PC. Right now, she keeps her recipes in a loose leaf binder, but she wants to go digital. Any suggestions? Thanks!

cookbookchick
  • 2642 views
  • 19 Comments

19 Comments

Narto October 18, 2014
Another vote for Paprika - I have it on my iPad, phone and computer and it synchronises my recipe collection across each of them, so I can find a recipe no matter where I am. And yes, in addition to being able to store online recipes, you can manually enter recipes from books etc.
 
thirdchild October 17, 2014
I use and love the app Paprika. It has helped me manage online recipes, and you can also just put in your own recipes into it.
 
cookbookchick October 16, 2014
Thanks everyone! My daughter is delighted with all your ideas.
 
Pegeen October 16, 2014
I use Evernote. Works on pretty much every platform.
 
sgshrchef October 15, 2014
Paprika is terrific. Also solved the problem of my 20 something kids always asking me for recipes. now they have the app as well and have all of my recipes when they need them.
 
ktr October 16, 2014
Does paprika only work for online recipes? Or can I use it to organize the recipes in my cookbooks too?
 
Susan W. October 15, 2014
I am a fan of the binder, 5x7 cards..and sticky notes (shudder). Oh..lets not forget the multiple orange Kalinda notebooks where I write random recipe thoughts and ideas. Which is why I haven't yet posted the beef jerky recipe that you requested.

I have been shopping for recipe management ideas. I have heard Evernote is great as Suzanne said. Also, Paprika is an app that gets great reviews. There are a couple more that I wrote down..somewhere (slaps head).

I am going to message you the beef jerky ideas since that thread faded away. Found my notes stuck in a tray of my dehydrator. :)
 
Susan W. October 15, 2014
One more thing..didn't Gourmet just release a PC version?
 
AntoniaJames October 16, 2014
Susan W, you make me laugh! You're in good company . . . I found a recipe on an index card in the bottom of my freezer the other day. How it got there I will never know. Interestingly, it was in fine shape, if a bit damp. ;o) P.S. I use Paprika for recipes available online, but only ones that I use a lot, and that will load into their system automatically. I'm still wrestling with about 6 linear feet of notebooks and bucket files of hard copy recipes, and the overlapping (as in Venn diagram) hundreds that I've scanned to PDF or typed into Word documents on various laptops going back to the early 90's. (I typed many dozens in while commuting, during down time to relax on business trips, etc. before starting my own firm in 2001, and have quite a few family favorites typed by my mother many years ago, later scanned by me . . . you get the picture.)
 
Susan W. October 17, 2014
AJ, we sound like we are in the same restaurant boat. I also have two index card files. One full of desserts from when I had a small dessert biz that supplied a couple of restaurants, shi shi grocery stores and caterers with cakes, cookies, bars and cheesecakes. I looked through it the other day and found a couple of the cards completely coated with butter, flour and sugar to the point I was not able to read a word of the recipe. Such a professional way to store them. Ugh
 
cookbookchick October 17, 2014
Thanks, Susan W! Consider posting the recipe on Food52?
 
sdebrango October 15, 2014
I use Evernote, it's simple, user friendly and is a very easy way to organize recipes. You can scan and add to your files. I have been using for several years and love it.
 
cookbookchick October 15, 2014
Thanks, Suzanne!
 
healthierkitchen October 17, 2014
I joined Evernote, but now have no idea how to get started! :(
 
cookbookchick October 17, 2014
Too funny, healthierkitchen! I, too, joined Evernote but find I don't use it. Maybe some Food52ers who love it will advise us.
 
sdebrango October 17, 2014
LOL, I have been using Evernote for about 3 years I think and can't remember how I started using it. I know you have to create notebooks, each notebook contains recipes you add. I have notebooks for desserts, breads, ice cream, drinks, pasta etc....... when you add a recipe either by typing it in, pasting or scanning and adding you choose which notebook to add the recipe to that way it keeps your recipes organized. I will look through it and see if I can remember how I did it other than that.
 
sdebrango October 17, 2014
I added this recipe to my dessert notebook, you simply click the plus sign to add a recipe to a chosen notebook. To create a notebook click on file and "new notebook"
 
cookbookchick October 17, 2014
Suzanne to the rescue! Thanks!!
 
sdebrango October 17, 2014
I didn't mean to click on I agree, ugh!! I wanted to reply that it's as simple as creating a notebook and adding a recipe to that notebook. I copy and paste most but have successfully scanned from my volumes of cards and pages that I still refuse to get rid of.
 
Recommended by Food52