The Proverbial Legacy Cookbook

     For some time now, I've been toying with the idea of making a cookbook of family recipes to pass on to my son and his future wife as well as my nieces and nephews. A legacy, if you will.
   It started as a simple idea of a photo book with pictures and a recipe card in every page. I presented the idea to my family and they suggested why not go all the way and make a real cookbook that we can have printed in a dozen copies or so. And every one of my friends I told of my plans excitedly declared they would love to receive a copy. Okay, challenge accepted! I will write a cookbook of my favorite family recipes.
     The initial plan for this cookbook is to divide it into 9 sections: breakfast, soup and salad, beef, pork, chicken, fish and seafood, rice and pasta, desserts and a special section on baking. Each section will include 5 recipes. That's a total of 45 recipes I need to quantify and standardize. And 45 layouts to style and photograph.

   A closer look at the logistics and I find myself overwhelmed. Where do I start? It then dawned on me that it takes a village to make a cookbook.   It is no mean feat to come up with one that is filled with beautiful photographs and poetic verse.  I'm a no-nonsense storyteller as evidenced on this blog. Suffice it to say, most of my recipe introductions would be predictably brief if not altogether clinical. 

    The food styling as well as photography will no doubt be simple as well. With limited space in the kitchen and a lack of professional equipment, it will be a challenge albeit one that is welcome. I am picturing myself doing everything single-handedly simply because I cannot afford to hire a professional food stylist and photographer. 

     I imposed on myself this herculean task. Not only is this a solo journey, I also gave myself a deadline. I have to finish the book by my 50th birthday. That's in a little over a year! Wish me luck and hope the writing fairy stop by to inspire me.