Memorization is Not Our Strong Suit

May 19, 2010 1:26 PM

I am looking for an artistic way to present a recipe that my spouse and I use pretty regularly. I would like to create (or, more likely, commission) an artistic representation of the recipe suitable for framing.

I'm thinking maybe calligraphy or letterpress, but our tastes tend to run more modern. Please point me to examples of interesting/beautiful/compelling ways to display a recipe.

Three final things that may be relevant:
(1) we are able to remember what to do with the ingredients so listing only the ingredients and their measurements is an option,
(2) there's no historic handwritten version of the recipe so something like this is out, and
(3) I have an image of the dish that has high sentimental value, so including that in the final product is a good idea.

posted by Xalf to media & arts (7 answers total)

Overly convoluted and vague (in my opinion), but here's one example of recipe styling.
posted by halogen at 1:33 PM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Using Photoshop or something similar, I'd take the photo and make it my background, lightening it if necessary. I'd then find an appropriate font and type the recipe on top of the photo, maybe spacing it out, or putting it over a less important part of the photo.

Print, mount with a mat and display.

Kind of like this.

In googling "framed recipes" I also came across this style which is pretty cool.
posted by NoraCharles at 1:41 PM on May 19, 2010

I liked the look of these, which you could make more modern by changing up the type and style of artwork.
posted by questionsandanchors at 1:46 PM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

To add to NoraCharles' suggestion: In my opinion, no font looks better over a photo than Futura, all-caps and in some bold color (bonus points for adding a "modern" touch).
posted by a.steele at 1:48 PM on May 19, 2010

I would write out the ingredients on a random piece of paper (like I sometimes do with recipes, but maybe you don't!), make the actual dish, create a nice composition for a photo, and display it in a nice frame like a regular photograph.

Somewhat similar to this (click on the actual pic for a larger version).
posted by prenominal at 1:55 PM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

I would take photos of each ingredient in their proper measurement, and line them up in a row (or together in one shot), maybe with a process shot in the middle of the dish being made, and the last image of the dish on the right. Kind of like a visual recipe.

If you had a friend with a nice camera it'd be easy to put together, and take the sentimental history of the dish and add to it.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 2:02 PM on May 19, 2010

The Cooking from Above cookbooks might give you some inspiration. Click "look inside."

Basically they take a photo from above of each step of the recipe (all the ingredients laid out, next picture: some of them, having been mixed together, next picture: stuff in the pot, etc.)
posted by Solon and Thanks at 2:49 PM on May 19, 2010