Originally aired on June 19, 2024

Kate, Kristin and Molly venture back into the user experience arena as they discuss recipe presentation in cookbooks. They highlight the need for this section to delight not distract and prioritize form over function as well as the need to write with a specific audience in mind. They discuss their thoughts as a consumer and developer on elements like: ingredients, equipment, serving size, prep time, method, sub-recipes, headnotes and bursts. Finally, they share their advice for recipe developers on things to think through and ways to research to bring clarity and individuality to their own work.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

• Episode 91: The UX of Cookbook Design
• Episode 28: All About Headnotes
• Episode 42: How to Write Recipe Titles
• Episode 24: Genius Recipes with Kristin Miglore
• Episode 59: Lerato Umah-Shaylor on Africana
• Episode 33: Becoming the Writer You Want to Be with Andy Baraghani
• Episode 93: The Secret of Cooking with Bee Wilson
• Episode 88: On Being a First-Time Cookbook Author with Michelle Braxton

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

• Genius Recipes by Kristin Miglore
• Brooks Headley's Fancy Desserts by Brooks Headley

Originally aired on November 9, 2022

Today, Andrea tackles the topic of the ever elusive headnote with Molly, Kate and Kristin. They discuss what a headnote is, how they go about writing them and the pitfalls to avoid while composing. They bring examples of some favorites and also their pet peeves as they chat about the format, design and variety that goes into these important cookbook ingredients.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

Kristin's newsletter - Mission Dinner

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

• All About Braising by Molly Stevens
• All About Dinner by Molly Stevens
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
• Ever-Green Vietnamese by Andrea Nguyen
• Greenfeast by Nigel Slater
• Rice Is Life by Kristin Donnelly
• Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins
• Slow Mediterranean Cooking by Paula Wolfert
• Small Victories by Julie Turshen
• The Chef’s Garden by Farmer Lee Jones and Kristin Donnelly
• The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis
• Wine Style by Kate Leahy

Originally aired on February 22, 2023

Kate talks with Molly, Andrea and Kristin all about recipe titles. They share what makes one stand out, what is an immediate veto and how these have evolved over the years. They discuss the importance of indexing, the challenge of translation and how grammar, structure and formatting are used in titling along with some of their own that they'd like to revisit.

Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly

Editor: Abby Cerquitella

Mentions

• Gourmet Cookbook
• Boston Cooking School / Fanny Farmer Series
• Cook it in a Casserole
• Cooking Bold and Fearless Recipes from Sunset Chefs of the West
• The Book of Yogurt
• Secret Ingredients
• Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook

Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

• Change of Appetite by Diana Henry
• Nigel Slater
• Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen
• Ever-Green Vietnamese by Andrea Nguyen
• Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez
• The Woks of Life by Sarah Leung, Bill Leung
• Rice is Life by Caryl Levine, Ken Lee, Kristin Donnelly