Food is a part of every life. Other than being a necessity for living, food evokes certain emotions and memories that are otherwise impossible to capture. Through the art of recipes, authors of all different cultures and backgrounds are able to offer a piece of themselves through food.

     Authors write recipes to share with others. Whether it has been passed down in your family from your great-grandmother or from a world renowned chef, recipes are created to share. Food has always brought people together whether it be through celebration, solemnness, or just because people are hungry. Food can also be used to unite people together as different cultures have unique flavors and techniques that bring people together; although you may not understand each other, food is a universal language.

     When analyzing the genre of recipes, there are usually three elements that are found in nearly all published works; an introduction, a list of ingredients, and directions. Though other elements can be added, this is the genre standard.

     The introduction is the most personal section of any recipe. In this section, the author has the most freedom to personalize the recipe and truly make is their own. The introduction should not just be anecdotal though, it should also describe the dish in some way. The next section is usually the ingredients. This is typically the most impersonal part of a recipe, as it usually is just a list; however, some authors also use this space to give their readers alternative ingredients, allowing for different types of readers to still use their recipe. Marcella Hazan does this beautifully in her book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking in her Pesto recipe. Hazan is aware that different levels of cooks are going to read her recipes, and that not have wants or has a mortar. By giving an alternative, more modern recipe, she broadens her selected audience. Finally, the author gives directions on how to create the dish. Using the introduction as a way to describe the dish through words or photos, as seen in the recipe for kung pao chicken in the book Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees by Kian Lam Kho, the reader should have an idea of what they are making. While the introduction should set-up the dish though, the directions should be the clearest part to read in a recipe. A great example of very clear directions is from this bruschetta recipe. This recipe breaks the dish down into three parts, allowing for the audience to easily follow along and create the three separate parts in their own time. While this recipe clearly explains how to make each step, some recipes will not explain things that may be simple knowledge to more experienced cooks, ultimately alienating more novice cooks.

     Although these elements are almost always prevalent in any recipe, having these features does not always make a good recipe. Having now examined and read several types of recipes, I have learned about my preferences in a recipe and have seen recipes that are just bad. I prefer introductions that give a short anecdote that ties in with the dish. However, having a long introduction doesn’t make it a bad recipe. In my opinion, a good recipe is one that can be followed and properly executed by a novice cook. One of my favorite dishes that I have been making since I was about 11 is a take on this scalloped potatoes au gratin recipe. While any recipe with French roots sounds more complicated than it usually is, this recipe is very easy to follow and requires minimal ingredients and tools.

     Recipes are becoming more and more accessible due to the internet. This allows for different cultures and authors to reach a wider audience. However, this has not changed the format of recipes. Introductions, ingredients and directions are almost always going to be the foundation to any good recipe. Food will always be a part of life, and with that, so will recipes.