Photo and note journalling

onpoint456

Anyone use an app to journal your cooks? Looking for an app that I can take notes and attach pictures.

lkapigian

Egghead Forum is where I keep mine 

Theophan

I use Paprika for all of my recipes, and I use it many ways to help me with notes and methods for grilling and smoking.

First, I use the Notes section to write down anything I want about that recipe, or that style of cook.  For example, on my recipe for a particular rub for steak that has fennel seeds, black peppercorns and crushed red chile flakes in it, I wrote,

WOW, this was GOOD!!!  I toasted the spices fairly darkly, and WOW, really delicious!!!  The second time I went more by the recipe and did NOT toast the chili flakes, and it was delicious, but I think it was better the first time, so I'm going to change the recipe to toast the chili flakes each time.

So that's there the next time I make that rub.

Second, I have a series of "recipes" in Paprika that aren't really recipes, but just methods for how to do something regardless of the specific recipe, like how I like to smoke pork for pulled pork, regardless of the recipe, how I like to smoke ribs, chicken wings, reverse sear steak.  Most of these I do so often I don't look at them, anymore, but they were helpful when I was nailing them down, and if it's been a while, I can just search for "method" and there they are.  Like on "Spareribs & Turbo Ribs Method" I have directions for how I usually do it, how "Mickey on EggHead" said he does turbo ribs, rough estimates for how long at different temps, etc..

It'll also automatically scale recipes for you, changing all of the quantities for 1/2, or x 2, or anything you want.  You can put times in the directions and then it'll automatically set a timer for you when you tap on that time.  Does a lot of other stuff, too.

Here's a sample recipe page with my notes:



Usually I just use one photo (or none), but you can add more photos if you want.  I have Paprika on my desktop computer and on my phone, and anything I do on one automatically goes to the other.  Another cool thing is that it means I have ALL of my recipes anywhere I go!  So if I'm at a rented house at the beach, visiting my brother, anywhere, I can cook anything I want because I have all of my recipes.  I really like it.

Botch

I copy any new recipes onto a Pages doc (Apple built-in) and keep them in a folder in Dropbox.  
Dropbox organizes files in alphabetical order, so I title them so they self-organize, for example:
Beef, braised, hungarian
Pasta, tuna & capers
 
I'm actually taking an Android class right now, I need to ask the instructor if I can get Dropbox on my phone, that'd be trick!  Thanks for the idea.  

JethroBodeen

Similar to Theopan, I use Mastercook. I dont really do much with pics though. But the notes part, scaling recipes, nutritional info, shopping lists, auot save recipe from web, etc. Mastercook does it.

buzd504

Theophan said:

I use Paprika for all of my recipes, and I use it many ways to help me with notes and methods for grilling and smoking.

@Theophan tip for your shrimp recipe - roast the shrimp shells until they are lightly pink (takes 5 min or so) before you make your stock.  Really helps the flavor.

buzd504

Botch said:

 
I'm actually taking an Android class right now, I need to ask the instructor if I can get Dropbox on my phone, that'd be trick!  Thanks for the idea.  

You can.  Dropbox has an app.

HeavyG

Botch said:

I copy any new recipes onto a Pages doc (Apple built-in) and keep them in a folder in Dropbox.  
Dropbox organizes files in alphabetical order, so I title them so they self-organize, for example:
Beef, braised, hungarian
Pasta, tuna & capers
 
I'm actually taking an Android class right now, I need to ask the instructor if I can get Dropbox on my phone, that'd be trick!  Thanks for the idea.  

The Dropbox app is in the Play store.

smbishop

Microsoft OneNote.  I use it for all my recipes and notes...

Botch

Thanks guys.  
Now I need to find out if Android will open a Pages doc, and I'm guessing... not.  

caliking

I’ve used Evernote for a few years, for all of my notes (cooking and otherwise. Easy to search, and I can easily edit to add changes, pics, tips for myself, etc. 

Theophan

buzd504 said:

... tip for your shrimp recipe - roast the shrimp shells until they are lightly pink (takes 5 min or so) before you make your stock.  Really helps the flavor.

Interesting!  I've never heard of anyone doing that before, but I might try it -- thanks!

onpoint456

Thanks all, I'm gonna give Evernote a go and see if it does the trick.