Dig In! (A Family Inheritance)
Project Year
2023
Dig In! invites each family member to not only savor the tastes of our heritage but also to contribute their own recipes, ensuring that our culinary inheritance continues to grow. A pinch of love in every dish, this book is a testament to the timeless connection between food, family, and tradition.
This family recipe book is a heartfelt collection of comforting dishes passed down through generations. It celebrates the traditions of home-cooked meals and the stories behind them, blending the warmth of food with the love and memories shared at the family table. Each recipe comes directly from my family, carefully written down and preserved to be passed on for future generations.
Beyond just ingredients and instructions, this book captures the essence of our family’s culinary heritage—the flavors that shaped our childhoods, the meals that brought us together, and the traditions that continue to live on. It’s more than just a cookbook; it’s a tribute to the love, laughter, and connection found in every shared dish.
Read the Recipe Book Below!
Book Binding
The binding process for this book was designed with both functionality and charm in mind. I chose a spiral-bound format to create a practical, durable design that allows the book to lay flat on the counter while cooking or even fold for reading instructions sideways and enables the family to add more pages. This makes it easy to follow the recipes hands-free, ensuring each page stays open without needing to hold it down. The spiral binding also gives the book a casual, accessible feel, perfectly complementing the warm, family-oriented tone of the project. It’s the perfect way to showcase a collection of cherished recipes, making the book not only a treasured keepsake but also a functional guide for future generations to enjoy and add to.To bring it all together, I carefully cut each page with an X-Acto knife, bound them using artist’s tack, and crafted a sturdy hardcover from chipboard, ensuring the book is both visually appealing and long-lasting.
Mood Board
The inspiration for this family recipe book comes from the charm of old scrapbooks and vintage recipe books filled with hand-drawn illustrations, handwritten notes, and well-loved pages worn from years of use. I wanted to capture that nostalgic feel—the kind of book that feels personal and treasured, like something passed down through generations. The combination of recipes, doodles, and little anecdotes brings the food to life, making each page feel like a glimpse into the past. Just like those beautifully aged cookbooks filled with family secrets and history, this book is meant to be more than just a collection of recipes—it’s a keepsake, a piece of our family story, and a celebration of tradition through food.
Process
My process for creating this recipe book began with gathering family recipes, each one a cherished piece of our culinary history. Along with the recipes, I collected a variety of family photos—snapshots of our meals, celebrations, and moments shared around the table. These photos helped me capture the spirit of the dishes and the memories tied to them.
Next, I turned to illustration, using Procreate to digitally paint the ingredients with a watercolor brush. This allowed me to bring each recipe to life with a personal touch, adding a layer of warmth and authenticity to the book. The fluidity of the watercolor style felt like a natural fit to evoke the homemade, heartfelt nature of the dishes. Each illustration is a reflection of the ingredients in their most simple, yet beautiful form, tying together the story of food, family, and tradition in a visually engaging way.