> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Rich wrote:
>>
>> Now that the internet is available, who needs a cookbook? Pick any
>> prepared
>> food, even an obscure one like, say Cumberland sauce, and Google it and
>> you
>> will get many recipes for it to choose from.
>>
>> --Rich
>
> Many reasons. I grew up surrounded by a lot of cookbooks (parents are
> book collectors) and have grown my own library which I care for and use
> lovingly. As well, there are times when I want to cook *something*,
> but I don't quite know what (unlike your Cumberland sauce) and I pull
> out 5 or 6 cookbooks and sit with them on my lap and get some
> inspiration. Family and friends know that I'm a competent cook and
> have no problems with experimenting with a new dish, if only for the
> sake of trying something new. I also love cookbooks with great
> photography that inspires me to try something because it looks so
> freakin' delicious. I've not seen many internet recipes that inspire
> me that way.

Excellent points, and I agree. My "who needs?" was really rhetorical, and
meant to point out that the availability of the internet has changed the
usage of cookbooks. I certainly don't mean to devalue cookbooks; I would
have to go count to tell you how many I have, but I'm sure it's more than
thirty. I use them much as you do, for inspiration rather than for specific
instruction. Of course, the internet can be used for inspiration, too. Try
Googling a specific ingredient or combination of ingredients along with the
word "recipes" for inspiration specific to the stuff you have on hand:

Results 1 - 10 of about 451,000 for lamb artichoke recipes. (0.49 seconds)

Is 451,000 hits enough inspiration for you?


--Rich