Kitchen Scrapbook

This has been long overdue, but before New Year’s holiday I was online shopping for a birthday gift for a foodie friend and stumbled across The Food Journal, “a scrapbook for food lovers.” I had seen something similar months before, and thought this book was the exact one that I was looking for. Instead, it turned out to be a different food journal, but far better than the one that I was seeking.

In the end, the result of my gift shopping mission was acquiring this book, The Food Journal by Magma and Marco Donadon. Enthused, as I was flipping through the pages, and nodding along as I read the text full of insightful information, I knew that I had to eventually purchase this book for myself as well. I did exactly that!

A Look Inside:

I’ve been using this book now for a few months and love it! There’s helpful content regarding seasonal foods, cooking tips, special butcher cuts to know, and learning the difference between rennet and mesclun, amongst heaps of other useful terms. This book is especially helpful if you’re looking to sharpen your culinary chops at home. Even if you’re rather seasoned in the kitchen, it’s great for keeping all of your own recipes in one place.

One of my favourite parts of the book is the space, plenty of pages (88 pages to be exact) for one to jot down original recipes, and keep recipe clippings. A small section dedicated for restaurant reviews, napkins, and souvenirs, etc. is ideal for creating a collage of impressions and tokens of remembrance.

Extras: 

There’s a back pocket folder for extras: recipe cards, special wine labels, favourite restaurant cards, and other foodie-related tear sheets that you prefer to tuck away for future memories. I usually keep restaurant cards when we’re travelling if it’s from a special place where we dined on holiday, or one where I had an unforgettable meal that was excellent. A restaurant card or mini-leaflet certainly saves space a lot more than picking up a restaurant branded matchbox.

I’m essentially using this 136 page book as a scrapbook! I wasn’t initially going to use it that way because I have another recipe book with handwritten papers (although busting at the seams) in scrapbook form. But, I love the practical concept of a cut and paste (food) art book, which is synonymous to most of my recipe books, be it sketch books or travelling journals.

Fellow foodie and author, Marco Donadon, a London based chef has created a wonderful compilation for the home cook, fellow gastronome, and the baking enthusiast. Both books, The Food Journal, and The Baking Journal can be purchased here. In The Baking Journal you will also find favourable information (pertaining to baking), such as pastry tips as well bread techniques, and measurement conversions, etc. I actually just purchased the baking book as a surprise for my sister!

Above: “Kackel” printed paper napkins, “Agda/Kackel” kitchen towels in eco-cotton, Printed oven mitten-c/o Gudrun Sjoden. Shop the Parisian inspired Eco-spring collection here. 

Do you have a recipe book? Have you heard of The Food Journal?

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