Low Tech, Long Term, and Vintage
"Take anything you want from that table." The flea market vendor pointed to what looked like a small pile of mangled Christmas decorations in an old tin box.
"May I have the box?" I had been lusting after vintage tin boxes all over the market but reminding myself I shouldn't splurge.
She dumped the contents out on the table and handed me the box and lid. I thanked her politely and scurried away before she changed her mind.
On closer examination it turned out to be a mid-1970s recipe box. This could come in handy. We'd always kept our recipes on the computer, but with five people wanting to play games use it access had become an issue. Going back to the old-fashioned way looked like a pretty good idea. I put some index cards and a good pen inside, and started thinking about what to write down. We did a lot of improvisational cooking. Which recipes should be preserved for posterity? Which version should be written down, and with how many variations? What notes should go with them about when, where, and how it's served?
My husband, the family candy maker and fry cook, was enthusiastic about the idea. "I could just take the card around with me! We could get those clips, y'know...."
"Magnetic office clips come two to a pack. We can put one on the fridge and one on the vent hood."
"What about the clip on a stem with a stand thingee? I haven't seen those in ages, do they even make them anymore?"
"That, um -- you mean a menu card holder? I'm pretty sure they still make those."
"Yeah! That way you can carry it to whatever work surface you're using, and it's closer to eye level."
So we're entering a time of recipe examination, which of course is another form of self-examination. It will be interesting to see what pops out.