IAPHC

Kaput Cookbooks and Star Wars Stovetops?

When we walked into the Kodak booth at Print '09 last autumn, we were really impressed by "The Pipeline of Innovation" a video-animated-interactive-gizmoid contraption that dominated the entrance to the booth.

It reminded us of the neat-o CGI (computer generated imagery) effects one sees in the Bourne movies or in the endless reruns of CSI Miami -- it's just plain cool, dude!

Now what is the point of reviewing that cool, but now 6 months old news?

The Chow magazine article speaks the truth we think.  And so, like with so many other things we find online, we posted it to Facebook and LinkedIn (that Share button is way too easy!)

Len Petitti, a great friend from Rochester, New York commented apropos to one of these reposts on Facebook on 4 March:

"I do read some magazines and a couple of out of town newspapers online.   I know that with lap tops, Kindle's and some phones you can be mobile and read them online.  But, there is still some thing to be said about the feel of paper in your hands."

And another great friend, Kathy Schoenick from Dallas, Texas commented via Facebook on 11 March about the Chow article as follows:

" '..that evening he went to the Web for a recipe to cook that night. He goes through the cookbooks for inspiration and pleasure, but he goes to the Web to figure out what to cook that evening.' ”

There is nothing more glorious than a well-done cookbook. They are indeed coffee table books! And as someone who loves to cook, it's precious when someone know's my cooking style or interests and gets me the perfect cookbook. My daughter and my brother have me pegged that way. I LOVE my cookbooks... but when I need a recipe NOW, I often go online. Sigh, isn't that sad? Yup, it is."

It seems to us that all kinds of printed products are undergoing these same litmus tests of relevancy -- print will continue to have purpose for many products but it's purpose may be supplemented and in some cases even supplanted by faster, quicker digital tools.

Here is a futurists vision of your cooking surface in 2050:

But will cooking by virtual avatar imagery still have palate pleasing taste?

Cheers,

Kevin Keane