From: eileen@sequent.com (Eileen Batz)
Subject: Re: Recommended Electronic Cookbooks
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 18:05:26 GMT

In article <4466.3092.uupcb@synapse.org> barrie.lax@synapse.org (Barrie Lax)  writes:
>TO: Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
>Attention: Wes Voss
>From: Barrie.Lax@Synapse.Org
>
>
>WV<Okay, I have used 3 different types of electronic recipe databases, and have
>WV<yet to find one that I like. I have tried Comuchef, MealMaster, and bought
>WV<one (don't remember the name.)
>WV<My wife doesn't like them because she finds the way you enter the
>recipes to be tedious and confusing.I don't like them because I think
>the interfaces are clumsy, at best. There has got to be an industry
>favorite that works great and that most people like..
>WV<What are you guys out there using?!?!
>


	I use Micro Kitchen Companion, primarily because it uses the Windows 3.1
interface.  I save net recipes to a text file, then use the windows cut &
paste for the body of the text.  The ingredients listing is re-sizeable (e.g.
will automatically calculate halving and doubling recipes), and requires
entering each get this feature.  If you don't want it, you could always
cut & paste the whole thing in the text area.  There's also an indexing
screen that you can use as much or as little as you like to make searching
easier.  I found the searching was pretty slow on a 16MHz 386, but we're
zipping right along on our 33MHz 486 now ;)
	Micro Kitchen also sells cookbooks in this format, the biggest
release is the Betty Crocker Cookbook (boggles the mind ;).  With the cookbook
you get a run time version on the Companion software, without all the indexing
& editing options.  I've seen there is a new release out to support multi-media
(where would ol' Betty be without pictures;)  I haven't upgraded, because I
mostly use it for my own library.
	I see three drawbacks:  The meal planning feature does one meal at a
time, I'd like to do 10 - 14 at once;  The shopping list isn't easily edited;
and it doesn't allow you to save search sets.  That makes downloading for a
major feast (e.g. my Christmas Eve version of Babette's feast ;) or a set of
recipes to the net a pain.  I have to save text files & edit.  Although the
documentation recommends merging files into one big cookbook, I find segementing
the recipes into various files (lowfat, tried & true, new & untested) makes the
seraching & editing faster.  It's a matter of choice.
	The company seems to be committed to continuous improvement, and I
love the Windows interface, so I'm pleased with it overall (and looking 
forward to future releases ;)  Here's a sample of what downloading a recipe
looks like, before any netiquette editing (saved to a text file & Windows
cut & paste).


Name:  Three-Pepper Pork Cutlets
Key Ingredient:  pork
Preparation:  broil
Cuisine:  Contemporary
Source:  Cooking Light Jan/Feb 92
Food Group:  meat
Meals dinner
Courses main
Temperature hot
Effort easy
Time easy
Comments easy
Servings: 4
1 lb pork tenderloin
2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp dried whole thyme
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried whole oregano
1/2 tsp dried whole rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
2 large cloves garlic, minced
 Vegetable cooking spray
1.  trim fat from pork.  Cut pork crosswise into 8 slices.  Flatten each piece to 1/4 inch thickness.
Combine paprika and next 9 ingredients; stir well.  Rub pork with paprika mixture.
2  Place on rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a shallow roasting pan.  Broil 5 inches
from heat for 5 minutes.  Turn pork over, broil and additional 4 minutes, or until done.


-- 
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  *Eileen Batz             *       "I still believe in a place called  *
  *Sequent Computers       *       		HOPE."		       *
  *(503) 578-4536          *       	President-Elect Bill Clinton   *
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking