The genre of recipe writing is usually thought of a very standardized, reliable set of instructions, always consisting of two parts: the ingredients and the instructions. However, this is an overly simplistic view of this genre. While most recipes are composed of ingredients and directions, sometimes, recipes only include directions (Canora). Additionally, a great recipe is not just a set of directions; instead, great recipes can even tell a story – about a grandma’s Christmas cookies, about a lovely Valentine dinner, or about new motherhood (Perelman).

Generally, though, the form of recipes are first, a set of ingredients, followed by a list of directions, but this has slightly transformed over time. For much of history, most recipes actually didn’t actually specify precisely how much of an ingredient was needed; instead, recipes would call for a “cupful” or a “drop” (Schofield). Nowadays, though, recipes, especially in baking, usually specify a precise amount needed for each ingredient. However, how these quantities are specified can also vary. For example, most of the world tends to use weight measurements (i.e. 400 grams of flour) in recipes while others (mostly the U.S.) measures by volume (2 cups of flour), and some recipes list both for universality. In regards to the preparation method, most directions are listed in short sentences in numerical format, while others prefer an essay method. Furthermore, some recipes’ layout may be vertical-down, while other recipes, especially in recipe books, may include ingredients on the left with the directions on the right. Other text features in recipes may include how much a recipe yields, cooking or prep time, optional ingredients, helpful tips, etc.

Some recipes include a short story or excerpt preceding a recipe, and I believe that this method really adds to the content of recipe writing. For example, Deb Perelman is famous for her cute, relatable family stories in her Smitten Kitchen food blog. Her stories make it clear that her themes in her recipe writing are familial, homey, traditional, and practical. Her writing style and content also makes it clear that her intended audience are parents, families, and practical cooks – both experienced and new. However, other recipes may not need a cute story before each recipe in order to target an audience. For example, in Leanne Brown’s book, she adds an interesting and very helpful feature for each recipe; she lists the total dollar amount needed to make each recipe and also the per serving dollar amount. This clearly targets people on a budget, college students, money-savvy cooks, etc. Thus, already, though there is some continuity in recipe writing, it is easy to see how the recipe genre, a seemingly homogenous form of literature, can actually take on various forms and even contradictions.

It also, therefore, makes sense that there are various reasons why authors write recipes. Some write recipes to pass on memories (perhaps a grandma passing on a family-secret biscuit recipe to her grandchild) or some write recipes to expose others to international cultures (perhaps a writer who blogs about her cooking experiences across Japan). The grandma recipe writer may just compose her recipe literature on a piece of napkin or in a family cookbook, while the travelling recipe writer may write weekly blogs and eventually publish a book. No matter the reason or the audience for a recipe, it is clear the recipe genre goes beyond a set of instructions; instead, it truly is a way to tell a story.

• Brown, Leanne. https://cookbooks.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf
• Canora, Marco. http://luckypeach.com/how-to-make-gnocchi/
• Perelman, Deb. https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/
• Schofield, Mary A. https://books.google.com/books?id=zvOppQPQxPgC&pg=PA8#v=onepage&q&f=false