Rules about recipe reproduction?

[Piccolina]

Hi all,

Perhaps this has been covered to death, but bear with a newbie (please :) )...

When it comes to posting recipes what are rules regarding reproduction? I mean if a site member posts a recipe are we free to copy it (of course not to use it in any way(s) that generate income) and pass it along to others or is it strictly for the site (and our immediate use) only?

Thank-you for any replies, happy cooking to all :)

[lyndalou]

I hope it's what you said, Jessica. I've shared quite a few recipes and ideas from here.

[kitchenelf]

You are free to swipe any recipe you want from here and give to whomever you want whether it's posted by a site helper or anyone else.

The only rule about posting recipes is if it is not your own just make a note where it came from and if it was from a cookbook name the cookbook and if it was from a specific chef name the chef - just give credit to the person responsible for publishing it.

No ingredient can be copyrighted - BUT the method - the instructions on how to assemble/cook the recipe - can be copyrighted. If you end up changing some ingredients in a recipe - those will obviously be mentioned in the method - the recipe is now yours and no mention of where you got the original is necessary - though it surely is extremely nice to mention it.

[Claire]

Thanks, I was really wondering if I was doing OK when pulling a recipe for folks from my collection of cookbooks; I am and I appreciate knowing that no one is going to sue me!!!!

[jennyema]

Well, literally, you could be sued for posting a copyrighted recipe without permission, but, as a practical matter that'll never happen.

[kitchenelf]

You are right jenny - but if you post the method/directions in your own words it is ok. State how you did it, not how it was originally written. If you want to give credit to the source of inspiration - that is even better.

[waaza]

I would suggest that if you have adjusted a recipe in any way, you state the original, (with due reference) and what you changed, and why. That way, we see the original preserved for posterity and how good a cook you are. That way, everybody wins. We should never ignore the origins of our art, there is so much to learn from them.
cheers
Waaza

[Piccolina]

Phew-thanks guys! I was worrying about the rule(s) regarding recipe reproduction, now things are a lot clearer!!!

I will always give credit where credit is due!!! And I’m sure most others do the same. The recipes I’ve seen in the posts so far (I’ve been reading a lot of back posts) are fantastic and I want to share them with some of my friends and family who love cooking too. But some of them (like my dear Granny) don’t have the internet, so I’ll copy them out on paper.

Thanks a million for the replies everyone - really helpful.

Happy cooking to all!

[jennyema]

Yes, yes, very true. But if you post a copyrighted recipe verbatim and cite the source you have essentially incriminated yourself. Always put it in your own words and also give it your "embellishment(s) when and where possible."