Recipe instruction book utilizing ingredient stickers and visually identifiable measuring instruments

• US 8,657,604 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conkrist, LLC
• Original Assignee: Conkrist, LLC
• Inventors: Gilchrist, Suzanne, Sperry, Ginger
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US13/561,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20140030680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 434/127, 434/236, 434/238, 281/15.1, 281/51, 283/48.1, 283/52.1, 283/63.1, 283/66.1, 283/117
• US Class Current: 434/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

A recipe book system and method are presented. The system allows non-readers to use a recipe book to prepare foods for cooking or baking. Recipes in the recipe book are presented with images representing ingredients, measuring devices, cooking tools, and instruction steps. Removably-attachable stickers are provided. The stickers may have duplicate images of one or more of the images in the cookbook. In a method for using the recipe book system, a non-reader uses the images in the cookbook to perform actions for food preparation, and then attaches image stickers to a page of the recipe book to indicate that particular actions have been completed.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a food mixture using a picture recipe cookbook, the method comprising:

a) identifying an ingredient image in a recipe on a recipe book page, the ingredient image representing a food ingredient to be added to the food mixture;

b) identifying a measurement image on the recipe book page, the measurement image representing a measurement value;

c) adding the food ingredient to the food mixture in an amount equal to the measurement value represented by the measurement image;

d) detaching a removably attachable ingredient sticker from a sticker holder; and

e) removably attaching the ingredient sticker to the recipe book page in near proximity to the ingredient image;

wherein attaching the ingredient sticker to the recipe book page indicates that the ingredient has been added to the food mixture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement image is a measuring device image having a coloration, and the coloration of the measuring device image indicates the measurement value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step b) further comprises matching the coloration of the measurement image to a coloration of a measuring device;

and further wherein step c) further comprises adding the food ingredient to the food mixture using the measuring device having the same coloration as the measurement image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ingredient sticker depicts the ingredient image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the ingredient image is an image of an ingredient container.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) detaching the ingredient sticker from the recipe book page after completing the recipe; and

g) removably attaching the ingredient sticker to the sticker holder.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sticker holder holds a plurality of ingredient stickers for a plurality of ingredient images on the recipe book page.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) identifying an instruction image on the recipe book page, the instruction image representing an instruction step to perform on the food mixture;

g) identifying a cooking tool image on the recipe book page, the cooking tool image indicating a cooking tool to be used with the instruction step; and

h) using the cooking tool to perform the instruction step on the food mixture.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ingredient sticker and the ingredient image are identically sized.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurement image is at least one of a measuring cup image and a measuring spoon image.

11. A picture recipe cookbook system comprising:

a) a recipe book having a plurality of recipes represented on a plurality of recipe book pages;

b) an ingredient image on a first recipe page for a first recipe, the ingredient image representing a food ingredient to be added in a recipe;

c) a first measurement image on the first recipe page in near proximity to the ingredient image, the first measurement image representing that the food ingredient should be added in the recipe in a measured amount, the measured amount being symbolized by a first coloration of the first measurement image;

d) a cooking tool image and an instruction image on the first recipe book page, the cooking tool image and instruction image collectively representing an instruction step to be performed in the recipe; and

e) a removably attachable marker attached to a marker holder and moveable between the marker holder and an attached position on the first recipe book page, the marker depicting one of the ingredient image, the measurement image, the cooking tool image, and the instruction image;

wherein the marker, when attached to the recipe book page, represents that a recipe step has been completed.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the measured amount symbolized by the first coloration is a first volume, the system further comprising:

f) a first measuring device having the first coloration and the first volume;

g) a second measuring device having a second coloration different from the first coloration and a second volume different from the first volume;

wherein the first coloration of the measurement image represents that the first measuring device should be used to add the food ingredient in the recipe.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the marker holder is separate from the recipe book.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the recipe book pages have a plurality of different ingredient images, each ingredient image representing a recipe ingredient, and the marker holder holds a plurality of markers depicting the plurality of different ingredient images.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

f) a second recipe page for a second recipe, the second recipe page depicting the ingredient image;

wherein the marker depicts the ingredient image, the marker is movable to an attached position on the second recipe page, and the marker, when attached to the second recipe page, represents that the food ingredient has been added in the second recipe.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the ingredient image is one of a drawing of an ingredient container for the food ingredient and a photographic image of the ingredient container for the food ingredient, and the marker depicts the ingredient image.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

f) a legend on a legend page of the cookbook, the legend depicting

i) the first measurement image with the first coloration symbolizing the first volume,

ii) a second measurement image with the second coloration symbolizing the second volume,

iii) a first text written instruction in near proximity to the first ingredient image, and

iv) a second text written instruction in near proximity to the second ingredient image;

wherein the first text instructs to use the first measuring device and the second text instructs to use the second measuring device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the recipe book pages do not contain the first text and second text.

19. A method for creating a recipe book, comprising:

a) selecting one or more recipes for the recipe book, the recipes comprising ingredients, measurement volumes, and instruction steps;

b) assigning ingredient images to represent each of the ingredients to be used in the recipes;

c) assigning measurement images to represent each measurement volume to be used in the recipes;

d) assigning a differentiator to each of the measurement images, the differentiator being at least one of an image size, color, shape, and pattern;

e) assigning instruction images to represent each instruction step;

f) for each recipe, arranging the ingredient images, measurement images, and instruction images on one or more recipe pages to represent the procedure for executing each recipe;

g) assembling the recipe pages to form a recipe book; and

h) providing a removably attachable ingredient sticker for each ingredient image, each ingredient sticker depicting a corresponding ingredient image.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

i) providing a legend for the recipe book, the legend identifying and explaining the meaning of at least one of the ingredient images, measurement images, and instruction images.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

i) providing a sticker storage space to hold each ingredient sticker.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sticker storage space is separate from the recipe book.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the instruction images include cooking tool images representing cooking tools to use when performing instruction steps.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein one or more of the ingredient images depict a container for an ingredient.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

i) providing with the recipe book

i) a measuring device having a same color as a measurement image, and

ii) an ingredient container;

wherein an ingredient image in the recipe book is one of a drawing and a photograph of the ingredient container.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

j) providing a sticker storage space separate from the recipe book.