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Farm Kitchen:  Do You Use the Index in Your Cookbooks?  |
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 07:48:59 AM
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As many of you know, I'm working on a cookbook. It's in the final stages, and all that's left is the index.
This thing has given me fits. Like to the point that index is now my new curse word.
So my question to you, sisters, is this:
Do you even use the index in your cookbooks? I've heard a few yes's and a few no's from my friends.
I don't want to spend the time, effort and $$ on extra editing fees if you don't use the index.
To be fair - before you answer, none of the individual recipes is listed in the table of contents. That may change your mind.
Thoughts and input are always greatly appreciated!
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4815 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4815 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 08:24:22 AM
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I always use the index in my cookbooks to find the exact page a certain recipe is on. I also use it to look up a recipe to make a particular ingredient I have on hand, like butternut squash. I rarely look at the table of contents since it doesn't have the recipes/ingredients in alphabetical order.
Good luck & have fun writing your cookbook. What kind of recipes will you be putting in it?
Dawn in IL |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 12:38:47 PM
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ALL the time, personally I probably would NOT buy a cookbook with out.
Cause in fact it's the first thing I always look at in a cookbook, to get a feel for the kind of recipes I will find in this book. Secondly, I would be TOTALLY frustrated with out one, when ever I wanted to look up something. I use the index pretty much every time I get out a cookbook!
Today my mom was wanting canned beans (in glass jars not in tin cans), so I looked in my ball canning book and first thing I did was go to the index to look up beans, and then the specific beans she wanted so I could go right to that page to see if I needed a pressure canner or it could be done in the water bath canner. Any way...had it not been for the index, that huge cookbook would of been totally useless to me, I would NOT of wanted to search through every page to look for beans!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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LeighErica
True Blue Farmgirl
306 Posts
Erica
PA
USA
306 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 12:50:56 PM
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I use the index all the time. Just because I don't normally have the time to sit down and read through the cookbook. That's not to say I don't read the cookbook..I do, but when I am cooking a recipe...I want it ASAP. So, yes....I use the index. Congratulations on your book. That is awesome!!! Will you be offering it for sale on the forum and/or are you going to list it with booksellers too? I would love to buy it from you if possible. How exciting....keep up the good work...don't get too frustrated. It will be great!!! Hugs, Erica
Farm Girl #2731 |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 1:19:13 PM
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Yes - me, too!
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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sjmjgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
566 Posts
Stephanie
Mt. Vernon
Iowa
USA
566 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 5:52:30 PM
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I definitely use it. Especially the ones that are listed by main ingredient.
Farmgirl Sister # 3810
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
- Dalai Lama
April is Autism Awareness month. Autism affects 1 in 88 children (1 in 54 boys, including my son). Go to http://www.autismspeaks.org/ to learn more and help Light It Up Blue on April 2nd!
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2013 : 6:41:48 PM
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I too use the index to look up something I have never made or rarely make...makes it much faster, so my vote is YES...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2013 : 06:12:15 AM
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Thanks ladies!
And to answer the questions: All the recipes are gluten free, and the book will include everything from a few soups to desserts.
I'll be polishing up that index this weekend!
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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Lyndell
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Leah
Richwood
Ohio
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - Mar 05 2013 : 11:07:56 AM
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Sounds like you've decided to use an index after all - good! Just wanted to add that I also use and love cookbook indexes.
Think about it this way: if someone doesn't use the index, their decision to buy a cookbook WITH one wouldn't be affected either way. But if someone DOES use the index, and they're considering a cookbook without one, it will most likely make them decide not to purchase it. And the more sales you can get, the better, of course :-)
Best of luck!
http://foxgloveandfolksongs.blogspot.com
Farmgirl Sister #4236 |
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buzzn bee
True Blue Farmgirl
1061 Posts
Deborah
Muncie
Indiana
USA
1061 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2013 : 4:40:33 PM
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I would be forever seaching if not for indexes. It seems as though I am always in a hurry, buzzn around like a bee looking for honey. I need the indexes to keep me sane. LOL! Your new cookbook sounds wonderful. What a true farmsister you are. That is a lot of work. I am proud of you. Sounds like you have a passion for cooking and trying new recipes. Keep up the good work. You make your farmsisters proud! YAY!!!
Hugs and best wishes on the new book!
Debbie H.
Buzzn Bee |
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lovinRchickens
True Blue Farmgirl
3529 Posts
Kelly
Pipe Creek
Texas
USA
3529 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2013 : 9:07:09 PM
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I always use indexes as well. I hope your cookbook Ann is a huge success, best wishes to you.
Blessings
~Kelly~ |
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2013 : 04:45:55 AM
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Thanks ladies! You'll be happy to know that the index will have 3 sections: a list of all recipes in alphabetical order with page numbers, a list of the recipes by category (soups, salads, etc.), and the last section(which is the hard part)is by ingredient. So if you have almonds and want to make something with them, you can find a recipe for that.
I'm hoping to finish by the weekend, so we can get the book rolled out soon!
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 06:43:03 AM
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STATUS UPDATE: The draft of the index is DONE!!!!! Yes, give a whoop and a holler and jump up and down! You will be very happy to know that it is in 3 categories - all recipes, by category, and by ingredient. Some of the ingredients are even listed in different ways, because I know there are days that I don't always think to look something up a certain way, so plenty of cross-referencing.
Brenda, I originally tried the index function in Word. Because it's a computer, it only thought logically, so for example, I had two entries for eggs. One for egg, and one for eggs. It totally ignored egg whites and egg yolk. I got so frustrated with the darn thing that I figured it would just be easier to do it all manually. I wanted to be sure all the pagination was correct anyway, so it was just one more (painful like a toothache) step.
Thank you all for your support! As soon as I hear a publication date, I'll let ya' know!
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 09:39:07 AM
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I use mastercook and love it...it has a recipe book making section and is fairly cheap program and VERY simply written (think back to MS dos days).
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 4:22:59 PM
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Thanks Heather!
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
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Lavender Rose
True Blue Farmgirl
1979 Posts
Brenda
Jackson
MI
USA
1979 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2013 : 07:26:37 AM
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I always start with the index. I have way toooooo many cookbooks to look through for certain recipes. Without the index I probably wouldn't use them. Takes to long to find what's needed.
Lavender Rose
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2013 : 1:56:11 PM
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So you will all be very happy to hear that the final approval form was faxed in to the publisher yesterday, after all the final revisions were double checked, and I crawled back through that (insert your favorite expletive here) index with a fine tooth comb again. She looks good, so in about 6-8 weeks, she'll be on bookstore shelves, and available through barnesandnoble.com in either paper copy or ebook.
Thanks to all for your input!
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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Farm Kitchen: Do You Use the Index in Your Cookbooks? |
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Do You Use the Index in Your Cookbooks?
