Slate.com Article on Community Cookbooks

I read an interesting article recently on Slate.com regarding community cookbooks.

http://www.slate.com/id/2277327/entry/1001596/

Anyone getting ready to publish should read this article before getting started. One interesting thing that came out of it was a comment I read from a reader who had left behind her thoughts. That comment is below. I have no idea who this person is but she put in clear words what I have heard from individuals for the last 33 years.

"Community cookbooks are a guilty pleasure of mine. I don't think I have ever cooked an actual recipe from them, but they are so much fun to read. Every book seems to have roughly 20 different versions of broccoli casserole (frozen broccoli, Velveeta/Cheese Whiz, etc.) and a variety of desserts made with crumbled cake mix, Cool Whip, and cream cheese. They can be educational as well. I recall reading an old one from the 1950s and asking my mother what oleo and a #2 can were. "

Don't miss this important step in your cookbook development!

On several occasions I have alluded to or discussed how important great content is in a successful cookbook. One aspect of the content is the quality of the edited recipes. We must remember that while many “naturally-gifted” cooks don’t have to follow a recipe to the letter, there is a higher number who do. Therefore the recipes must be written so that anyone will feel confident in following the instructions.

I asked one of our copy editors at Favorite Recipes Press to develop a short bullet list of tasks we perform for our clients to ensure their recipes are written consistently and clearly. Here is what Alison had to say:

“While there are certainly many smaller tasks that go into each of these items, here are the major things FRP editors and the proofer will do for each cookbook."

1. Verify all the ingredients are listed in the order used in the method.

2. Edit and proof the recipes to ensure consistency in wording and style throughout the book.

3. We achieve this by using the same “voice,” which makes the recipes cohesive without being redundant.

4. Make certain the recipes make sense, allowing all levels of home cooks the ability to produce a fabulous dish. You’d be surprised how many submitted pie recipes don’t have a crust listed, or how many chicken dishes don’t list chicken as an ingredient. Because we all enjoy cooking, we are often able to ascertain whether ingredient amounts seem “off,” and we’ll verify with you if it’s correct.

5. Check all grammar and spelling in all recipe and non-recipe text.

It is certainly helpful if the people submitting the recipes have worked to get them in the best shape possible; however, this is a tall task if the recipes have come in from multiple contributors or sources. Even professional chefs are notoriously bad at writing clear and consistent recipe instructions.

If you asked 10 people to give you a recipe, how many different variables in the writing styles would you get back? My guess is 10. Some would list ingredients in order and others would not. Some would abbreviate others not. Some would call it "ketchup" and others would call it "catsup". You get the point. If you're getting ready to develop a community cookbook, do yourself a favor and make sure that you don’t cut corners. Hire a professional food editor or get this as a service from the publishing company.

What is a Signature Recipe?

When discussing the development of a great community cookbook, we are often asked to provide a formula for success. With any "creative" project formulas usually don't exist--that is why creativity is so important. However, one tip we can offer is to make your book the best that it can be.

One key ingredient in a great cookbook is the quality of the recipes. This means several things--they should be well written, consistently edited, and easy to follow with clear instructions which produce a fabulous finished dish if followed properly.

I learned many years ago that another "secret" ingredient in a successful cookbook should be the inclusion of one or more signature recipes. This recipe should be one that hasn't appeared in countless other cookbooks and is truly an original from the publishing organization. It can certainly be a derivitive of someone elses recipe that has been turned into an original due to the additions or changes to it. Of course, with 3 significant changes it is now considered an original recipe.

This signature dish should be relatively easy to prepare and should contain ingredients that you ordinarily keep on hand. If possible, it should lend itself to preparing ahead and using as a "teaser" give away at book promotions and signings. It should be so good that the person tasting or reading about it should be motivated to buy the book.

Here are some great examples of signature recipes:

Sausage Blossoms

The Life of the Party - Junior League of Tampa, FL

"The book is all about entertaining, and Sausage Blossoms provides a recipe that is easy, uses a few simple ingredients, and has great visual impact. If there are 3 qualities I would want from a recipe for easy entertaining, those would be the ones. They are very difficult to find, and that's what makes Sausage Blossoms my signature recipe for The Life of the Party."

-Lisl Unterholzner, Junior League of Tampa, FL

Palm Beach Punch

Carolina Caviar

Worth Tasting - Junior League of the Palm Beaches, FL

" From Worth Tasting I would have to say our Palm Beach Punch on page 31 and the Carolina Caviar on page 21. These 2 dishes are generally served at our events and are always met with rave reviews. Also, the Palm Beach Punch was served at our first Ladies Luncheon and the women loved it. It is the recipe noted on our website as well."

-Laura Wissa, Junior League of the Palm Beaches, FL



Amelia Island Shrimp

Toast of the Coast - Junior League of Jacksonville, FL

"Well the answer is easy: Amelia Island Shrimp from Toast of the Coast. My family is in the seafood business so shrimp and/or fish are always my choice to prepare. This recipe showcases any fresh seafood well. I’ve made it with fish, scallops, mussels or just assorted vegetables. It is a great go-to recipe because it is quick and people usually have butter, garlic, pasta and parmesan cheese on hand. And kids love it. I started making it after my then 10-year-old son picked it out of the cookbook."

-Janet Reagor, Junior League of Jacksonville, FL

Paradise Party Punch

Paradise Served - Junior League of Fort Lauderdale, FL

In a place so beautiful that a little bit of every day is a vacation day, it makes sense that one of our signature dishes is a drink! This recipe embodies our sophisticated, yet luxurious laid back lifestyle, here in South Florida. On the beach or one the back porch - this cocktail makes the party. It's cool, effortlessly fabulous and has that little something unexpected - just like the women of the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Cheers...to another day in paradise! Pass the punch!

-Lori Ebinger Sullivan, Junior League of Fort Lauderdale, FL

Think about it--how many times do you have a dish that everyone asks you for the recipe? It happens all the time. We all have these signature dishes but they become so commonplace to us that we forget how special they are. If you already have a community cookbook what is that book's signature recipe? If you were asked to contribute a signature recipe to a project, what would it be?

3 Keys to Successful Cookbooks

You might be asking yourself why someone writing a blog focusing on custom publishing and community cookbooks would spend so much time writing about customer service. The reason is simple. In every seminar and publishing presentation we make, we emphasize that when you publish a cookbook you are setting up a business, and it must be run like a business, if you want it to be successful.

If someone tells me that they published a cookbook and it wasn’t successful, I can tell you unequivocally that the cause of the lack of success was one of three reasons. By the same token, a successful project will be successful for three reasons.

1. The one simple and obvious reason for success or failure is the quality of the product itself and its value for the money. Someone simply throwing some recipes together without regard to uniqueness, quality editorial, design or theme will probably have a tough time. However, a well crafted and themed cookbook with tested recipes written consistently and precisely coupled with interesting information about the cuisine of the area or the history of the recipe will find a niche following. So, I freely admit that the product itself can be a huge component of success or failure.

With these next two ingredients in place, a shoddy product can at least be successful from the standpoint of selling through the initial inventory. What are these two ingredients? They are great business services and customer service mixed with great marketing. A lack of either of these is a sure sign of failure.

2. In my blog of a few weeks back I illustrated a couple of “poor” customer service experiences I had encountered. This past weekend I experienced great customer service from Target. Surprisingly, a “big box” store like Target is the last place I expected to encounter great service. I have been bragging about them to everyone since then. The ladies in the CS department went out of their way and even broke a policy to do the right thing in replacing a defective product.

3. When you set up a publishing business, you must set up business rules and regulations. You establish discount policies, return policies, inventory control systems, collection policies, store or phone hour policies and many others. We preach the philosophy that something as simple as manning a phone or returning recorded messages within a 24 hour time period are critical to your success. An account carrying your title has little time to waste if they try to order only to reach a recording and not have the call returned promptly—they will simply choose to carry someone else’s book.

If you have a cookbook or are considering publishing a cookbook, please know you are setting up a business—a very fun and rewarding business, but nevertheless, it’s a business. Run it as such and you will be rewarded.

Searching New Places

During our lifetime most of us venture to new cities for either work, family events or vacation. When you visit a new area for the first time what is the first thing on your mind? Is it the weather? Things to see and do? The food? Perhaps, it is some combination of these questions.

One comment we hear repeatedly is that "when I visit a city I usually like to take home a local cookbook". Why is that? Well, one reason is that food is a HUGE part of our lives, and we all know that food is prepared differently in different regions of the US. When we think of the Gulf Coast, we think of fresh seafood. In Louisiana, it is Cajun. If I am going to the New England area, I am thinking of lobster, chowder, etc.

Now, the simple truth is the capability to recreate these foods is available for us right in our own hometown bookstores, but yet it's our nature to fit in with the culture we live in. That's not to say that we don't enjoy different foods from time to time but when we go to a city or region known for a specialty, we want to try it out. I can't imagine going to Philadelphia and not seeking out a great Philly Cheese Steak. Plus, if I can find a cookbook that teaches me how to make one that good, I want to buy it.

What is the point in all of this? We love food, and we love to know about authentic food. If you are thinking about developing a community cookbook make sure that you include some signature dishes revolving around the local culture, specialties, and ethnicity because that is what your customers will be looking for.