• Cooking with ifolor

    Cooking with ifolor

    The special gift: your personal cookbook

    It is well known that the way to someone's heart is through their stomach. So what could be a better idea than to give somebody your own personal cookbook? A book in which the recipient will find their favourite dishes shows how well you know the person that you want to make happy. And the best thing: designing a cookbook is really easy. We'll show you how it works.

    Cooking with friends

    The most important thing about a cookbook is, of course, the dishes. Dishes that you first of all have to cook. And it goes without saying that cooking is more fun together with your friends. Plus the advantage: while the others are cooking, you can capture the moment with the camera in your hand.

    From the market to the kitchen

    One person peels the carrots, another stirs the dough, and the children can lend everyone a hand – the more people who can be seen in the book, the more of a pleasure it will be to browse through the recipes and to cook from them. Round off the recipes with wine recommendations! Even the shopping at the market beforehand can be nicely presented.

    Fresh ingredients

    Professional photographers know: the fresher and more colourful the ingredients are, the more lively and attractive the photos. The lighting is also important. With a mirror, which one of your friendly assistants can hold for you, you can create attractive reflections on the food and the plates. It is generally the case that with conventional methods, the room won't ever be light enough.

    Fresh ingredients

    Conjure up images

    Put some unprepared ingredients to one side - your dishes shouldn't just look tasty, it should also be possible to see some of the individual ingredients. Tip: sprinkle a little water on the ingredients before photographing them. This makes them look especially fresh.

    Make sure you also take the background and presentation of the picture into account. Do you want the dishes to have a modern or rustic look? Whether it is a piece of wood, marble or laced cloth – your taste decides. Combine the detailed pictures of the dishes with photos which also feature some of the set table.

    Anything that tastes good is allowed

    Just sweet things? Big roasts? Or complete menus, perhaps? Take it easy: ask your friends for advice. What are their favourite recipes? In this way you might get to know some new things, all of which can be featured in the book.

    Perhaps you associate a dish with a particular experience? Beach photos from the last trip to Spain could go well with paella and you can illustrate hummus preparation with photos of your holidays in Morocco. Old family recipes always go down well, and it almost goes without saying that the creators – usually the mothers and grandmothers – should not be left out here.

    Anything that tastes good is allowed

    Tip

    Your special gift
    Instead of an individual cookbook focussing upon the recipient, you can also design a book that reflects your own recipes or culinary preferences. Simply order a few more copies and you will always have an exceptional personal gift ready for your guests. Your creative idea is bound to find imitators soon.

    Try it out straight away!
    The ideal thing for your personal cookbook is the photobook spiral, for instance, which is A4 sized, and with its flexible spiral binding and plastic outside trim, looks absolutely superb in every kitchen. For the more prestigious coffee table book, the best idea is to use the photobook premium photo paper (28x28cm, hardcover binding, up to 60 pages, special binding).

    Cooking together – giving together

    Why not ask a few friends to write down their favourite recipes, preferably described in a funny way, or rhymed or illustrated? Combined with a few pictures from different kitchens, such a joint work can make a beautiful wedding gift, for example.

    Apart from the pleasure that it will definitely give you, there is also a nice side-effect: you will almost certainly be invited to a meal soon in thanks for your beautiful cookbook! Would you like to make even more of your recipes? Then take a look at the cooking calendar.

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