Thursday, October 10, 2013

Recipes Then and Now

This week's theme on the Friday My Town Shoot Out blog is "Handwriting", and to fit that theme I actually searched a lot around the house! It's shocking how little actual handwriting is done nowadays besides the odd note or when you sign something.

Well, in the end I found my mom's recipes that she hand wrote in a notebook, collecting them from her own mom and people she knew. It's a small treasure trove of finds that still delight today. Since it's not in English you won't be able to understand, but I'll guide you through it.

click on the images for a bigger view 

There are many additions to the recipes on small colored papers. In the bottom left corner you can even see a recipe for a mango frapé.


On the backside of the notebook you can see some colorings that were probably made by me or my sister, while mom was cooking.


On this next image a recipe for "Cupavci" is included. They are a sort of cake squares dipped in a melted chocolate and then in shredded coconut.


Of course the traditional apple-pie recipe is included here as well.


And then I thought about how we actually find recipes today. Of course nowadays the internet is the biggest source. There are numerous sites, and even phones and iPads have apps for recipes. They have a different feel. Positive and negative. The biggest benefit of digital is that it's always there, you can convert measurements, discover dishes from all over the world, and even read peoples thoughts on them.

For example, I love Nigella Lawson's Quick Collection App for the iPad. It's so unique and full of valuable meals that are quickly put together but never sacrificing quality. And lots of beautiful photos too.


A good app is also the free Allrecipes App for iPad, that includes videos too. Books are still there, but even they are now e-books on a Kindle.


Handwriting has become some sort of lost art. Even while typing this, I'm fully aware that blogs are a modern and public version of our old diaries. Everything is changing and being updated. But there is something in browsing through an old notebook like this. You can feel the history behind it. Especially if it's your own.

Do you have old notebooks that you treasure? Are they about cooking or other memories? Have you ever considered updating them (typing them down, maybe even scanning)?

I think I might even snatch a recipe or two from this notebook and post it here.

51 comments:

  1. I like the way you photographed the hand writing, especially the first, and it doesn't matter that i can't read it, i just like seeing the writing. you are right, i can't tell you when i last wrote anything down except my list for the grocery store. but i know many who type their list in their phones, and i would if i had one. so nothing will be left for the future generations to see except the typing.

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  2. Maybe we should uphold some of these old traditions, despite the modern ways. I know that I find it interesting, and I don't see why it wouldn't be for future generations.

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  3. a special but lovely post Mersad...... i like it.....well done.

    Greetings, Joop

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  4. yes, my mother hand wrote most of her recipes, too. nice!

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    1. Would love to take a look at them if you make the photos.

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  5. How fun that you have handwritten recipes from your grandmother. I have a lot of hand written recipes on recipe cards that were my mom's. I also have little notebooks that she wrote a diary in almost every day from way back in the 60's until she passed away in May.

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    1. Thanks for visiting. These are my mom's recipes though.

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  6. Mersad, you have a real treasure - handwriting recipes. The art of handwriting is really lost. I don't even remember when last time I tried to write a none with my pen. But there was time when I dutifully wrote in my journal some thoughts about books and events.

    This is such touching and profound post and your pictures are stunning. Love every picture in this post so much!!!

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    1. Thanks Kaya. I did write journals too a long time ago.

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  7. Hello Mersad! how nice that you have saved your Mom's recipes. I also have some handwritten recipes, they are special to me too. But, I also love to check out Allrecipes.com for some new ideas.
    Great post, have a happy weekend!

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  8. I love that you have your mother's hand written receipts. I think they will become more treasured as time goes by....My husband's mother was a fabulous cook and I have her hand written receipt book with all those little added notes. I actually refer to it quiet often....Yes, the internet is wonderful and one can find anything to cook that their imagination can dream up but these handwritten ones are just one piece of a family's history......

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  9. I wonder if I will ever again receive a handwritten letter after my mother and aunt pass on? Or have anyone who would like to receive one from me? The younger generation can't even read my "funny running writing". I think it's wonderful that you have your mothers and grandmothers handwritten recipes to treasure.

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    1. I know what you mean. Hopefully some old souls will carry on with the traditions.

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  10. Wonderful photos. The cupcakes sound great.

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  11. I still have a few hand-written recipes from my mother. They are treasures. I really liked the first photo, especially. A bit of your mother's personality seems to come through in these images.

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    1. Handwriting can say a lot about us, so I'd have to agree with you Linda. Have a nice weekend.

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  12. What a treasure trove! I also love those colorings by you and your sister. You must find a way to preserve these for always...in a funny way you have! Right here:)

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    1. I will probably try to scan the notebook in someway or even redo some of the dishes with my mom.

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  13. You are right about handwriting becoming a lost art. I write very few things these days. A few days ago I was paying some bills by writing checks (most of my bill-paying is online, but some payments require checks) and I noticed that my writing has become nearly illegible.

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  14. I still have a few recipe books which are hand written, sometimes it's much easier to just copy then print out the recipes from internet, especially when the printer ink dried out!!

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  15. Hallo Mersad....

    sehr genial diese Idee ! Vor allem gefallen mir die tollen Fotos dazu :)

    Ganz liebe GrĂĽĂźe und ein tolles WE

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  16. I really like the first picture, even though I can't read the writing. It's good that you photographed it because one day the question might be asked "what is handwriting?! I have spent all my working life using a typewriter and now computers and a couple of years ago I found it difficult even to sign my name. I got really worked up over it, as well. I'm back to normal now, thank goodness.

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    1. That's good to know. I can't even imagine what that must have felt like.

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  17. What a fascinating post. I still have some of my mother's and my grandmother's handwritten recipes and notes.

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  18. Yes, handwriting is becoming a lost art. I love seeing old recipes like this, have you made any of the recipes?

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    1. Yes I have. And I have also something in the works for this blog.

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  19. I agree - handwriting is kind of going by the wayside. I have some hand-written recipes from back in the day. But you're right, I have to write and occasional check, etc., but don't do much of anything hand-written anymore!

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  20. Yes, handwritten letters are dwindling away like leaves leaving a bare tree.

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    1. Thanks Ruth for your comment. Have a great weekend.

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  21. The recipes are beautifully written even if I can't understand them very well. She must have recorded very detailed instructions because those are quite wordy instructions!

    Thanks for the tips on apps. It sounds as though you also like to cook!

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    1. I do like to cook, and read about food. And it goes without saying that I like eating too

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  22. I have a lot of handwritten documents and notebooks from the past and I still use fountain pens to write letters even though I email, text, Skype and use other forms of electronic communication. I think there's room for many formats. It's just a shame that many people have abandoned letters because they are more likely to survive for future poring over and future generations.

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  23. Cake squares dipped in chocolate then rolled in coconut - this I would love to see this and have the actual recipe...sorry in English of course. I under stand that they are no longer teaching cursive in USA schools - no longer needed. What a shame we will end up with a select few being able to write and we will have to pay special prices to have ordinary things written down. Like the monks in the Middle Ages

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    1. I can post it, no problem. That's a shame about the way they no longer teach cursive writing in US schools. They still teach it here.

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  24. What wonderful photos of those notebooks with the selective focus! I have a lot of old hand written journals. I probably won't update them; the words and sketches conjure up memories as well as photos do.

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    1. I guess updating only works with recipes or something similar that can be used today. Our old journals will stay filled with memories, no updating needed! Thanks for visiting.

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  25. What a lovely post. Great shots and interesting. So glad you have joined us. I truly enjoy hearing about other cultures. We are all different but so alike. What a wonderful thing to realize.

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    1. I know. That's a good thing to be reminded of!

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  26. I still have a lot of handwritten old letters and postcards and notes of various kind - certainly no lack of material for the FMTSO post, I had to just choose something out of lots of alternatives!

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    1. It's really great that you have so many old material to go through!

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  27. Great take on this week's topic. Of course, I can't read your mother's recipes but she does have grea handwriting.

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