by Eric Wolf

Created on: October 28, 2008

I am an outspoken proponent of using digital information instead of printed material. When I think of all the ways we use disposable goods, it seems to me that there is no easier way to do our part to conserve natural resources. Rather than buy several paperback books each month, I read almost entirely on a PDA. I save incredible numbers of documents and photos, but rarely print them. And I often search for recipes on

google or find them on sites like allrecipes.com and cooks.com, although once I find a recipe I like, I do need to print it.

All that said I still find myself attracted to printed cookbooks. Browsing through cookbooks is more of a leisure activity than just the search for information. The background and additional information that many cookbook writers provide is a literary treat in addition to the technical information that the recipes themselves provide. Cookbooks are often ethnic or thematic collections of recipes with historical or entertaining information mixed in. They make for far more than a simple cooking reference.

The pictures are another treat that good cookbooks contain. To a food lover, the photos in a good cookbook are works of art. It's like exploring a coffee table book on the Italian Renaissance that makes your mouth water. And then there's the added challenge of trying to recreate the look of the dishes in your own kitchen. The presentation of food is an important part of cooking, and a creating a dish that looks like the picture in a cookbook can be a rewarding experience.

The sheer volume of information that many cookbooks offer make them useful in the kitchen as well. I have an old worn copy of The Joy of Cooking that I would not want to be without. I often find myself referring to it not simply for a recipe, but for other tips and information, such as ingredient substitutions, cooking methods and best practices in the kitchen. Many recipes simplify the cooking instructions to the point where they leave some uncertainties. The wealth of information that a cookbook can provide all in one place can be invaluable and by nature is easy to keep handy in the kitchen.

Of course, most if not all of the information presented above can be found on the internet. There is an amazing amount of information available on the web. Many cooking sites also include rating and comment areas that allow users to offer their experiences and opinions for others to read. A lot can be learned from the vast collective knowledge of internet users. This information can have its drawbacks, though, as there is often little editing or oversight to verify the accuracy of what people post.

I'm a big fan of digital information, but I don't think printed cookbooks will be replaced by digital information. Of course, maybe it's just a matter of taste, but that's what cooking is all about, right?

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