How to Write a Cookbook

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Kathryne Taylor explains the six steps she took to write her cookbook, "Love Real Food."
2. 1. Write recipe list: Thoughtfully curated a list of over 100 potential recipes, considering how they fit together, seasonality, and approachability.
3. 2. Research: Opened browser tabs, consulted cookbooks, and used existing recipes as starting points. Skimmed through many recipes for common ingredients, ratios, and potential pitfalls. Sought guidance from "The Flavor Bible" and reference books by America's Test Kitchen, King Arthur Flour, and Deborah Madison.
4. 3. Development: Acknowledged the messy and difficult nature of recipe development. Hired an assistant, Mara, to help with recipe testing and provide feedback. Developed and revised recipes, often working through ten in a day. Used Evernote to track drafts and notes for 162 recipes, with just over 100 making the final cut.
5. 4. Write headnotes and finalize details: Focused on making each headnote interesting, informative, and fun. Worked on clearly describing instructions for tasks like rolling enchiladas or layering lasagna, aiming to provide every necessary detail.
6. 5. Test recipes: Ensured confidence in recipes through rigorous testing. Each recipe had at least three testers, including Mara. Tested special diet variations and sent final recipes to two to four volunteer testers via PDF. Utilized a Google spreadsheet to manage testers and a Google feedback form to gather detailed input on timing, intro, ingredients, instructions, yield, and outcome.
7. 6. Edit, edit, edit: Submitted the manuscript for multiple rounds of edits with her editor, Dervla, and copy editor, Kate. Addressed global suggestions, shortened sections due to space constraints, and re-tested recipes based on feedback. The book went through further edits with Rodale's team before being sent to the printer.