Please, Please Help Me, Help Me, Help Meeeee, Oooooooh!
If you are reading this post I am asking for your help. I don’t receive many comments on my blog but I raise a question and I need your assistance, whether a loyal reader or if you just stumbled onto The Orange Bee, please take a minute and leave me your thoughts on the following question.
When you pick up your favorite cookbook, purchase a new one or are thumbing through the cookbook section in your local bookstore what is it that draws you in? Is it the cover, the photos, the ease of the recipes, the size of the book, the author or the nature of the book, e.g. quick meals, cakes & pies, comfort food, etc.
Now, if you would be so kind…leave me your thoughts. I’ll be back soon with a mouth-watering recipe and thanks in advance for all of your helpful comments.
Photos are nice but not the first thing that I notice. I look to see if the recipes are actually ones my family will eat. Next I check to see if the serving sizes are listed. I will always pick a cookbook that lists nutritional information over one that does not.
Smart girl! If your family won’t eat what’s in a book it wouldn’t be any fun to try those recipes would it? Nutrition – so important too. Thanks for your comment!
What attracts me to a cook book are attractive pictures. I also find I am put off by super long lists of ingredients or ingredients I am not likely to have or use again in other recipes.
Me too! I have a recipe for tortilla soup that is delicious but every time I look at the ingredients list, which is a mile long, I turn the page! Thanks for responding Jane.
photos and ease of recipe with ingrediants i actually have!
I got ya’ – There’s nothing like an easy recipe that is also delicious! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Hmm. I’d have to say at first glance at least three recipes that jump out at me, then the pictures and organization of the recipes.
Kristy, Thank you for the input. I do the same thing – if three or so recipes jump out at me I want to bring the book home even if just for those recipes…..sometimes it’s a welcome purchase – sometimes not.
Photos. I’m always drawn to pictures of Southern recipes that casually scream, “delicious.” And you, my friend, have that nailed! Now if I only had time to cook all that goodness myself…
Why thank you for the nice compliment…photos get me every time!
Pictures! I’m always drawn to photographs of Southern recipes that look simply scrumptious. And you, my friend, have that nailed. Now if I could only find time to make all that good-ness myself…
Oops. Two posts. Sorry! I’m half asleep and it’s only 9:30…
#1 – Love the photos. That’s the hook that makes me come in a stay a while. #2 – Short list of ingredients and are they already in my fridge or easy to buy at the store. (you nail this everytime) #3 – Seasonality of ingredients. I love how you always are on top of what’s new, fresh, best-of-season. Linda, I love love love your blog. Sadly, I don’t always comment so you can know I’m visiting. As a Foodie, I am blown away by your talents! Keep up the great work!
Thank you Sondra, your kind comment is much appreciated. I like easy in the kitchen!
Photos are a must! That’s what draws me in. Ingredients I’ve heard of helps and simple steps will make me want to buy it. Nutritional information is nice, but I own cookbooks that do not include such info. I find my spiral bound cookbooks are easier to use.
Photos are a big one! They get me every time too – especially on a magazine cover when I”m checking out at the grocery store!
I have cookery envy as I am a complete numpty in the kitchen – so I am drawn to lovely pictures particularly if they are simple recipes that even I can’t cock up!
Thank you for your input! Simple is best – I am in agreement.
Cover first, I love pictures of steps or at least the final product, and last recipes that don’t look too hard. Just like your blog! Very enticing and easy to follow!
Love you girl!
Thank you for commenting. I like easy recipes too – delicious and easy. Love you too!
Cover has to be attractive or I won’t pick it up!
Then photos- lots of them!
I love your blog- so easy to read and delicious to look at!
Love you girl!
When I”m perusing the cookbook isles at a book store the cover has to jump out at me or the title…I of course love the photos too.
Thank you for your kind remarks!
hugs!
It’s the photos that grab me! However, usually, the prettier the photos the more difficult the dish! So, after I fill my fancy with pretty pics, I’ll start looking for books that have easier/healthier recipes to follow. Less than 7 ingredients for me unless I’m feeling adventurous! Love your blog!
Thank you for the compliment! Photos are a big one so it seems….I like photos that make me drool too – and I usually take the book or magazine home if that’s the case.
I look at the recipes first, too many photos can put me off! But what makes me pick one up, well maybe it’ sth eauthor, the type of cookbook such as Indian,, or French or whatever appeal sto me that day ! But mostly it’s the recipes, I look for vegetarian (mostly), whethe rI think the recipes are do-able, and tempting and very importantly the style of writing – a few words about each recipe to draw me in helps hugely.
Claire thank you for your comments. I like side notes and comments about the recipes also – it seems to personalize the book.
I’m going to go against the grain. It’s the design and the photos for me. But I’m a professional designer. A cookbook should have a theme or an angle. And that angle needs to appeal to me. For example a cookbook about cupcakes wouldn’t be for me (I don’t bake) but one on summer party foods would. Try not to cover too many things in 1 book.
Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing – photos is a big one – design a new thought.
Design doesn’t need to be fussy, but having clear headers and hierarchy of information is important. Designers usually work with master pages which is a template that you nail down before hand. These can change a little depending on the recipe, but generally, the look should be the same. You’ll find that paragraphs like the headers, introductions, ingredients, tips, directions are usually set in the same places on the page, in a particular order and in a particular font colour, style etc. It makes browsing easy.
Thank you so much for the info from a designers standpoint! I agree browsing through a cookbook should easy and enjoyable and continuity would make this happen.
No problem! Flick me an email if you have any other queries 🙂
The theme usually catches my attention…and I love a lot of photos so I can see how it should turn out when I make it.
Yes, I agree I like to have an idea how it should look before I jump in with both feet. Thank you for leaving me your thoughts.
Usually the title, cover photo, “healthy” recipes and lots of photos inside.
The Pioneer Woman is a great example, albeit NO healthy recipes. Lol
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Thanks for your input Sandy – Pioneer Woman is something else!