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The Recipe Writer's Handbook, Revised and Updated [Paperback]

Barbara Gibbs Ostmann , Jane L. Baker
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 13, 2001
Praise for The Recipe Writer's Handbook
Revised and Expanded

"Barbara Ostmann and Jane Baker are experienced food editors who know their stuff. To achieve success, a recipe must be written with impeccable accuracy and unambiguous clarity. The Recipe Writer's Handbook achieves both objectives in full measure."-Irena Chalmers, author and professional food writing lecturer at The Culinary Institute of America

"The First Edition of The Recipe Writer's Handbook was a terrific resource, and this revised edition is downright indispensable. It is full of answers to questions about recipe style and substance. Ostmann and Baker have cooked up a delicious addition to any serious food writer's desk."-Mitchell Davis, Director of Publications, The James Beard Foundation

"Writing recipes is a tricky business, and anyone who wants to do so successfully should have this book. The tables, glossaries, and charts alone are worth the price, not to

mention the authors' generous helpings of good, sound advice."-John Willoughby, coauthor, Thrill of the Grill and How to Cook Meat

"The Recipe Writer's Handbook is indispensable in the range and depth of information it offers both the novice and seasoned culinary writer. It contains everything you need to know-all beautifully organized and presented in a handy, easy-to-use format. Ostmann and Baker are masters of their trade!"-Paula Lambert, President of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, founder of the Mozzarella Company, and author of The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide

First Edition Nominated for Best Food Book, 1999 World Media Food Awards

Frequently Bought Together

The Recipe Writer's Handbook, Revised and Updated + Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More (Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Blogs,) + Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots
Price for all three: $43.17

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This guidebook is one of few aimed at its select audience (professional food writers), but you don't have to be a pro to appreciate it. It's also a great resource for all of those self-publishing cookbook authors out there. Authors Barbara Gibbs Ostmann and Jane L. Baker, both experienced newspaper foodies, culled information from a fistful of sources (Williams Sonoma and Food & Wine among them) to create their guide. The results should be a relief both to food writers and to the cooks who rely on their recipes. The Recipe Writer's Handbook addresses recipe-writing style, spellings of common (and not so common) ingredients, definitions of cooking terminology, and nutritional analysis. It stresses, above all else, accuracy, consistency, and clarity; it admonishes the recipe developer to assume nothing about what the readers know (apparently, one editor was asked by a reader how far to drop drop cookies; another got a call from a woman who wanted to know whether her new oven was preheated). Most interesting is the final section, in which food professionals wax philosophical on what makes a good recipe good. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

The Recipe Writer’s Handbook Every recipe you write has the power to make or break a meal—and a cook’s reputation! That’s why it is up to you to combine accuracy, consistency, and your personal style in recipes that are easy to understand and use. Measurements must add up, vocabulary must be clear, and the whole process must be broken down into simple steps with straightforward instructions and error-free presentation. A tall order? Not with The Recipe Writer’s Handbook by your side. Whether you’re working in the kitchen or at the computer, this comprehensive handbook provides definitive guidance on how to write concise and complete recipes without sacrificing your creativity or your personal touch. The Haudbook teaches you how to "think" your way through a recipe to make important decisions and troubleshoot potential problems concerning format and syntax, spelling, cooking terminology, weights and measurements, recipe testing, presentation of the final recipe, and many other areas. In the foreword, Antonia Allegra, president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, ponders the soul of a well-written recipe. Other leading food authorities, such as Madeleine Kamman, director of the School for American Chefs at Beringer Vineyards; Carolyn O’Neil, of CNN’s "On The Menu"; and Chuck Williams, the founder of Williams-Sonoma cook-ware stores, offer valuable insights into what makes a good recipe. Filled with detailed information, plus extensive resource listings of food promotion organizations, books, and much more, this one-stop reference is an indispensable toot-of-the-trade for anyone who develops, tests, edits, or writes recipes. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 1 edition (April 13, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0471405450
  • ISBN-13: 978-0471405450
  • Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.7 x 8.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
(17)
4.7 out of 5 stars
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Concise, great tips and thorough. L. Franks  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
If you are writing a cookbook, stop writing and purchase this book before you go any further! Rhonda Peters  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 58 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars I would be lost without this excellent resource April 5, 2000
Format:Hardcover
Barbara Gibbs Ostmann is the expert on cookbook writing. I recommend reading this book before you start writing your recipes. I already had everything typed in one file on my computer when I first found her book.

I simply used my search tools in Word to locate all the items she discussed and believe me I had made quite a few common mistakes. The book itself was extremely useful...I was however more impressed that when I wrote to Barbara - she actually wrote back and gave me some of the best advice I have ever recieved. After using almost every principle taught in this book, I can truly say that I have produced a cookbook I am proud of and will enjoy using for a lifetime.

So, whether you grew up overseas like I did and didn't realize powdered sugar was actually called confectioners' sugar, or you are writng recipes that contain foreign words, this is also the book for you. The chapter which gave information on leading food authorities gave me a greater insight into what I needed to give my readership.

If this is the perfect guide - I hope I have produced the perfect cookbook. Thank you Barbara for taking the time to help cookbook writers everywhere. Now I am taking the next step - finding a publisher and creating a website.

~The Rebecca Review
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Cookbook Author for Dummies Book! July 25, 2007
Format:Paperback
I loved this book! This book addressed EVERY area that I was doing wrong. I started writing my book without a guide and something in me told me to get a guide just in case. So after browsing on amazon, I found this book and immediately ordered. I stopped writing and immediately began to read and study the tips in this book. I was thrilled to see a couple of pages on how to select the right nutritional software, because I was struggling about how to select the right vendor! I did exactly as recommended and found a great source. If you are writing a cookbook, stop writing and purchase this book before you go any further!
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable September 5, 2001
Format:Paperback
This book now has a permanent place on my desk as an important reference book. Too bad it wasn't around when I wrote MMMMiami--Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere. The book ranges from sophisticated information for the professional writer to general information for the novice. The book is arranged by categories such as recipe writing style and basic metrics. The authors take your hand and guide you through the difficult task of writing clear, interesting, and consistent recipes.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Don't write without it. August 29, 2005
Format:Paperback
I purchased this book and it's pretty beat up already from having referenced it frequently for the past three years. I began food writing on a whim and thought this book would be helpful. It helps the novice writer become a pro. What more can you ask for.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Source For My Cookbook September 14, 2005
Format:Paperback
I purchased this book while writing a book proposal for my children's food cookbook "The Petit Appetit Cookbook". This book saved me many potentially embarassing food writing faux pas with my editor. The pages are bent and highlighted, but I still rely on it when writing articles and recipes for publication.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Book of the decade September 30, 2005
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great Book, I can't put it down. Great job, this book has everything needed to write recipes, what they couldn't put in they gave resources to find. I have used some of those suggested resource books, and am pretty amazed so far.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! December 15, 2005
Format:Paperback
Wow! That's all I can really say. You think you know everything; you know your conversions, you're totally informed about your ingredients, you've made the recipe a dozen times.... BUT... just because you can follow the recipe doesn't mean other people can. This book will help you make your recipes standardized, readable, and useful for everyone from your daughter who can't cook to save her soul to your sister, the professional chef.

You don't have to be a food service pro to appreciate this book. If you've ever considered cataloguing your family recipes, making a church or community group cookbook, or submitting your famous chicken-artichoke lasagna recipe to Better Homes and Gardens, start here. It's an easy read and an invaluable reference. Wonderful!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Very useful style guide. Culd be organized better. October 19, 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm very happy with the information in this useful style guide. After reading it through, though, I found it difficult to use as a reference. The index does not let me easily locate items I need to reference quickly. Subsequently, I have to fold over pages of interest. Nevertheless, it is a great guide and very useful to managing my recipes [...].
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Memoirs of Mme de Montespan
Thanks for this English translation. Like most memoirs it is self serving, but adds another perspective of the most torrid love affair in French History with the possible... Read more
Published 2 months ago by follee@earthlink.net
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Tool and Reference for Cookbook Writers
If you are serious about writing cookbooks then this little book will be of great benefit. It will give you the professional confidence instrution and inspiration that you need to... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lisa
5.0 out of 5 stars A gift
This was a gift my daughter-in-law requested for Christmas. She was thrilled. It was "used', but in such good shape it looked new. She had said, she'd take a 'used' one. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Beckypopcorn
4.0 out of 5 stars great book
I am very happy for purchasing this book because it has all the answers to my questions about how to write a cookbook in English. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Despina Tsolakidou
4.0 out of 5 stars Recipe Writer's Handbook
I saw this referenced in another publication and decided it would be valuable to my cookbook writing. Read more
Published on May 14, 2011 by pattykay1951
5.0 out of 5 stars what an eye opener
The book is a real eye opener! Things I hadn't even thought about. I had researched first to find out what books the writers were reading and this was it. Read more
Published on April 6, 2010 by R. Staup
4.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful
I am working on a cookbook and this has helped me tremendously. Concise, great tips and thorough.
Published on January 4, 2010 by L. Franks
5.0 out of 5 stars So Very Helpfull
I love this book, so helpfull with writing my own cook book, even with ideas for the photography that I am doing to go along with the writing.
Thanks!!!!!
Published on March 20, 2009 by LeAnn Bennett
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
The book arrived quickly, and in great condition! I wouldn't hesitate to shop this retailer again! As for the book, it would have been nice to have seen a bit more of the inside... Read more
Published on July 20, 2008 by D. Wylie
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