How Do You Feel About Buying and Using e-Cookbooks?

[MelissaH]

On 4/15/2014 at 5:32 PM, Smithy said:

I think he's asking about alternate payment options. Gift cards are an option: they're basically prepaid debit cards that have a set amount and aren't linked to your bank account. Amazon has them, and I'll bet the others have them also.

And our local indie bookstore also sells ebooks, so you can walk in and purchase them using cash (or any other payment method the store accepts).

[DutchessPDX]

For me ecookbooks are basically a necessity. I live in a urban condo so space is limited so it was either toys (where am I going to put my chamber sealer, hello!) or cookbooks. Moving to ebooks was a no brainer.

 

I also like taking my cookbooks or favorite recipes with me, so I have most of my personal recipes all stored online in dropbox and copies of my ebooks on my tablet. Sharing is easy too. You can always do a screen grab or screenshot of your recipe and email it to someone and voila! instant copy of the recipe. 

[nasi goreng]

I still prefer paper books, especially for cook books, photography books etc.

BUT they are difficult to get here, the choice is very limited and they are hugely expensive, so most books I buy are ebooks and I put them on my laptop, kindle and android.

I prefer to read the normal books and cookbooks without pictures on my kindle, the ones with lots of pics on the android tablet and I use the laptop to convert them all into pdf files and print out the recipes I like (so I can make notes, additional comments, conversions into metric etc etc).

There are a couple of cook books that I own on kindle and of which I bought the paper version in a later stage. These are mainly the reference books.

Having said that: Ebooks are absolutely ideal for travelling! And I like the option to change the font (as my eye sight isn't getting any better either)

[CKatCook]

For me it depends on the book. Now all my bread cookbooks that I consider "classics" I buy on paper (ie: Crust and Crumb, The Bread Bakers Apprentice). But for some others that are ones that I like, bought, but don't see it becoming a classic, then I get the ebook. (like diet cookbooks, 20 meals with 20 ingredients, etc LOL)

[MikeMac]

At work I use a lot of manuals regulations and reference guides. In my travels I used to lug some of this around then I loaded it on my iPad and not only is the material always upto date it's always accessible and searchable.

Fantastic

Same with cooking I do not like buying cook books unless they come out as ebooks.

I am a huge fan of Modernist Cuisine. I like the inking app with Modernist Cuisine at Home. I like the "original" Modernist. Cuisine even better but it's so big and hard to reference I tend to not use it much.

In terms of my iPad getting dirty - who cares? Electronics are disposable items use it abuse it the apple warranty is great and when it runs out just buy a new one.

The key for me is easy access to the reference material. I am not big into fancy pictures bit I a huge into under sting the SICENCE behind the cooking process and making sure I use it to achieve my desired results.

Tonight crispy salmon !!!!

[Anna N]

At work I use a lot of manuals regulations and reference guides. In my travels I used to lug some of this around then I loaded it on my iPad and not only is the material always upto date it's always accessible and searchable.

Fantastic

Same with cooking I do not like buying cook books unless they come out as ebooks.

I am a huge fan of Modernist Cuisine. I like the inking app with Modernist Cuisine at Home. I like the "original" Modernist. Cuisine even better but it's so big and hard to reference I tend to not use it much.

In terms of my iPad getting dirty - who cares? Electronics are disposable items use it abuse it the apple warranty is great and when it runs out just buy a new one.

The key for me is easy access to the reference material. I am not big into fancy pictures but I a huge into understanding and using the SICENCE behind the cooking process and making sure I use it to achieve my desired results. Recipes are OK as a starting point but the real key is the understanding of the process to achieve my desired result.

Tonight crispy salmon !!!!

I am not sure there are many of us who can afford to simply discard a $700 iPad.

[liuzhou]

My Kindle has packed in after just a year. That never happened with a real book.

[Anna N]

My Kindle/iPad allows me to make the text large enough so I can read it! That never happened with a real book! Would add a :-) but don't know how! Just saying.

[GlorifiedRice]

In terms of my iPad getting dirty - who cares? Electronics are disposable items use it abuse it the apple warranty is great and when it runs out just buy a new one.

 

Image Courtesy of blogs.ubc.ca

Photo by: David Fedele.

Modified image from visual.ly.

[liuzhou]

 

My Kindle/iPad allows me to make the text large enough so I can read it! 

 

Mine used to. Now it doesn't have any text. I have never had text disappear from a real book. Had a few books disappear, though

 

When I can't read a book, I put my spectacles on! Or dig out a magnifier. 

 

Excellent post GlorifiedRice

[hattermad]

In general I prefer my paper cookbooks - there's something about looking up at a shelf of books for inspiration, pulling one down that takes my fancy and then leafing through to find an old recipe I might need reminding about.

 

That said, I have both paper and e-versions of 'Modernist Cuisine at Home', and I use it on the iPad far more - the additional enhancements to the e-version make me reach for it every time. If it was identical to the paper version but on the ipad, I doubt that woul dbe the case.

 

So...both, in their place?

[nakji]

I have tried to cook from ebooks, but I find it uncomfortable. Ideally, I wish my whole collection were electronic, because I move quite often, and not having to ship a large collection of heavy books from country to country would be an improvement over my current state. That's why I have moved my music and general book collection over to electronic format. That being said, I downloaded a sample of "Jerusalem" when it was released, and it just felt strange, somehow, reading a cookbook that way. I have Dorie Greenspan's app for "Baking, …", but it actually doesn't have the recipes I like from that book, and for some reason, the videos leave me cold. 

 

I also like being able to have a bookshelf full of books to page through and get inspired by. Not only for the decor/cosy value, but also because I don't "browse" my ebook collection. And having the books there means that other people in my home who cook can access them, too.

 

 

[Carole Grogloth Hawaii]

I like ebook cookbooks so I can easily take my favorite books with me when I travel.  However I don' t buy ebooks that I'm not familiar with since they are no fun to browse. 

Carole Grogloth

Molokai Hawaii

[kayb]

Given the choice, I'll buy a "dead tree" cookbook over the electronic variety any day. They're easier to browse, and look things up. However, I have a MASSIVE collection of saved online recipes bookmarked, and categorized, as well as a sizeable collection of electronically archived pdf's and word docs, also categorized and semi-indexed. I find it's easier to look online when I have an idea what I want -- i.e., something with chicken and fruit, or a coconut curry, or a specific kind of cookie -- and easier to browse a physical cookbook when I want "something Middle Eastern" or "Something Mexican," or "something Asian." I also like physical cookbooks I can put sticky notes in for recipes I go back to over and over and over -- like my sandwich bread recipe.

 

I do love my Kindle app on my Samsung tablet, on my phone, and on my laptop; all my "disposable" fiction (I fondly refer to it as "brain candy") goes on that, while non-fiction I think I'm going to want to keep and/or refer back to, or classic fiction I love and know I'll re-read over and over again comes in physical form. There's something about settling in with Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking People between two hard covers that can't be matched by a glowing screen.

[naguere]

As an E-book I don't mind haveing 'Camping and surviving on the Prairie or 'Depression Cooking', but when it comes to a book by let us say our beloved Jaques Pepin (I have one on order now), it is nice to hold it and open for instruction in the kitchen.

 

My  latest Jaques Pepin and his daughter book is on its way now, at only five English pence and about £3 postage.

[Anna N]

 For those among us challenged by age or infirmity e-books allow us to continue reading!   Not only is it possible to make each one of them in large print for failing eyes but on the right device even the heaviest print book becomes light enough to hold!   They have a long way to go before they meet the quality of a good print book but in the meantime they extend the pleasure of reading to some who might have to give it up.   Not to mention of course the space conservation.

[liuzhou]

I love my Kindle for books I'm going to read (or re-read) serially, but it's pretty useless as a reference resource. Or  random browsing. Or for flipping to a specific recipe.

[excv_]

I personally prefer dead tree books by a significant margin- there's just something about opening and holding a book in your hand, and having it sit on the shelf. And they're much better for randomly flipping around or looking for certain things, which is something you can't do as easily wih e-books(and it's less fun that way). Books. So precious. Also, the ability to easily add notes and mark/fold pages is a plus for me as I tend to use instructional books rather messily. If I need to take it into the kitchen/ have it with me while I do something else, I usually just take a picture of the page(s) I need with my phone or tablet and bring that.

I, however, totally understand those who prefer e-books in terms of convenience and space; Paper isn't exactly light or small in large quantities, and that sure is a reasonable concern. Come to think of it, my preference may just be based the fact that I don't have all that many cookbooks yet or have to carry them around a lot.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

12 hours ago, Anna N said:

 For those among us challenged by age or infirmity e-books allow us to continue reading!   Not only is it possible to make each one of them in large print for failing eyes but on the right device even the heaviest print book becomes light enough to hold!   They have a long way to go before they meet the quality of a good print book but in the meantime they extend the pleasure of reading to some who might have to give it up.   Not to mention of course the space conservation.

 

Alas, Modernist Cuisine does not exist in Kindle format.

[Anna N]

3 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Alas, Modernist Cuisine does not exist in Kindle format.

 

But Modernist Cuisine @ Home does come in electronic format. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 

But Modernist Cuisine @ Home does come in electronic format. 

 

Not on the US amazon that I can find.

[liuzhou]

37 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Not on the US amazon that I can find.

 

I'm sure the full Modernist Cuisine isn't available, but "At Home" and the offshoots are.

Edited January 4, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[Anna N]

10 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

I don't know about Amazon, but ...

Yes.   That is the version I have purchased quite some time ago for a very good price.

[liuzhou]

2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Yes.   That is the version I have purchased quite some time ago for a very good price.

 

Yes, but that is "Modernist Cuisine at Home". I believe Jo is talking about the full 6 volume set.

I have edited my post to clarify.

Edited January 4, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks for the link.  I didn't know Modernist Cuisine at Home was available in that format.  But since I can get the book at the library almost any time I want, I think I shall pass on buying it.  I'd feel differently, I think, about the full MC.