The coolest gift ever: Create your own cookbook

November 26, 9:23 PMChicago Food ExaminerRebecca Wheeler

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I’ve found what may be the coolest gift ever for the cooks in your life. With the complete guidance of tastebook.com you can easily create your own beautiful cookbook. I am working on mine now, so I have to admit I have yet to see a hard copy, but the book looks great on the website, and many sources I trust use this site for their own “TasteBooks” (Food and Wine, Food Network Kitchens, 101 Cookbooks, Epicurious…)

The great thing is you can use your own family recipes, or you can find your favorites online and use those. So if you are big into Bon Apetit or Gourmet recipes, you can link straight to them on epicurious.com. Personal recipes are very easy to add, with copy and paste boxes for a description, ingredients and preparation. Each recipe comes out formatted the same and divided into logical groupings like desserts and treats, meat and poultry (you choose the category). There’s space for notes, and even personal photos.

The website also offers TasteBooks from popular blogs (like my favorite 101 Cookbooks) and websites like epicurious.com. If you don't have a lot of personal recipes to choose from, you can still make a personalized cookbook (including a cover and dedication page you choose) using hand picked recipes from these sources. Very easy, but still more much more personal than picking up any old cookbook.  

Prices start at $19.95 for 25 recipes, $29.95 for 50 recipes and $34.95 for 100 recipes. Gift wrap is free with each book, and a special promotion is running right now for free shipping when you buy 3 or more books-but you must order by December 9.

With tight shopping budgets this year, this is an ideal gift; inexpensive, yet still personal, meaningful and created with care. Check out the website and see for yourself. It’s such a great idea, I only wish I’d thought of it myself!

For more info: http://www.tastebook.com/