A Cookbook of One’s Own From The Internet
By JOANNE KAUFMAN Published: November 12, 2007
As a founder of the online photography service Ofoto, Kamran Mohsenin took note of the pleasure and pride his customers derived from making personalized calendars and books. “The perceived value and the sense of accomplishment in creating your own photo book was high,” he said.
A personalized cookbook created on the site Tastebook.
The profit to Ofoto was also high, leading Mr. Mohsenin to conclude that he could tailor the online design model to fit all sorts of books — like cookbooks.
With an investment from CondéNet, the Internet division of Condé Nast Publications, and a partnership arrangement with Epicurious.com, a CondéNet Web site with 25,000 recipes, Mr. Mohsenin has introduced TasteBook, that allows users to create hardcover cookbooks.
For $34.95, a cooking enthusiast can select up to 100 recipes, which come encased in a ring-binder with a customized cover. Although TasteBook will not put the customer’s photo on the cover, it does offer a choice of images (a pie, a bowl of cherries, peas in a pod, corn on the cob) and naming rights to the cookbook (like “Emily’s Holiday Recipes”). The site also accommodates those who want to fill a volume with their own recipes or with recipes from sites other than Epicurious.
“The idea of having an offline as well as an online way to share recipes was very powerful for us,” said Sarah Chubb, the president of CondéNet, who would not disclose the size of her company’s investment in TasteBook. “It’s another way for people to share their love of food and cooking.”
