Cookbook Database

I am looking for a database unlike anything I have heard or seen before but someone here may have found something.

I have a lot of cookbooks and, like everyone, I do not like everything is each one. I want to find a database where I can say what cook book it is (with photo), location of the book and the recipes I like in the book with page numbers and the ingredients for each recipe.

I would like it set up so that I can know the list of ingredients for a shop but not the method as I can use this database to find the page when I need it. I know it sounds complicated but I would find it so much easier than searching every book to remember where the recipe was.

It really seems that nothing like this exists and I cannot find a suitable way to devise my own. Does anyone have any recommendations or ideas for me?

Raeresa
  • Posted by: Raeresa
  • April 30, 2017
  • 6796 views
  • 7 Comments

7 Comments

JaneEYB May 1, 2017
Raeresa - I think Eat Your Books will do what you want by using our Personal Recipes feature. You can then add to your Bookshelf just the recipes you like from your books. You use the Source field for the Cookbook title and page number, you can upload a photo, and then you list the ingredients and add category tags. You can also add your own Notes and Ratings. Because these are Personal Recipes only you see them so you can add as much or as little information as you want. The recipes will then appear in your searches and you can use our shopping list for the recipes you select.

If you own any cookbooks not in the Library you can import the ISBN numbers (using Import Books) and we then add them to the Library and your Bookshelf. The recipes won't be indexed but if it is a book you use a lot you can volunteer to index it yourself - 35% of the books indexed on EYB are done by members.

Food52 members currently have a 3 month free trial offer which was issued to the Facebook group Food52 Cookbook Club (a wonderful resource if you haven't joined yet). The code is F5217. Maybe join and try out the site as I suggest. Please do email us at the site if you have questions.
 
Raeresa May 2, 2017
Thank you very much for your answer Jane. I will give it a go and see how I get on. Very much appreciated :)
 
Raeresa May 1, 2017
Thank you to everyone for your answers. Unfortunately, Eat Your Books is no good. I have tried it before but over half of the books I own and wanted to index were not even on the site and according to their FAQs to request a book to be added could take a long time esp if no one else has requested it.

I have found myself a no thrills database though which I can put all my information into and it will export it as PDF or Excel file so I think I will stick with that. It is no pictures but it looks like it does the job I needed.

Thanks again for your help.
 
SilverSage May 1, 2017
You are describing a site that many of us belong to. EatYourBooks.com
 
Lindsay-Jean H. May 1, 2017
Eat Your Books (https://www.eatyourbooks.com/myhome) helps you keep track of your cookbooks and allows you to make personal notes, which you could use to note the location of the book and what recipes you like. For all of their indexed books, recipes (and their page numbers) are listed, and then when you click a recipe the ingredients are listed.
 
Ali S. April 30, 2017
Have you checked out Eat Your Books?
 
Nancy April 30, 2017
That sounds like a lot of data.
Maybe ask yourself how you want to use it (e.g., menu planning, shopping, putting your favorite dishes on a repeat-rota).
Then see if you need it all or only some bits.
Last, look for something that works for you.
Suggestions: there are many Hotline threads on this topic. going back to the start of this on site. Search using key words like "recipes organize" or "recipes database" and see what others before you have found in practice.
Also, you may not have to enter all the info you describe to find your database helpful.
* If you're a visual-input person, maybe the photos are essential. If not, maybe not
* if for menu planning, maybe you don't need every ingredient for every recipe. Rather, the three largest or three key. Then you can select the recipe and go from there.
* Is page # essential? Or would cookbook title plus it's index help you enough?
* Sometimes analog solutions work. I heard of a woman who keeps ingredient lists of key recipes she may want to make on post-it notes in a notebook in her purse. Then she can shop, knowing she won't forget key elements. She rotates them every month or season or so.
And so on.
Good luck, and please let us know what you choose.
 
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