It's interesting. Wholesale scraping of thousands of other peoples' recipes is ballsy, clever, but makes me a bit queasy.
You probably already know this, but the ingredients lists are not copyrightable according to [http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl122.html]. It seems from reading that site that the list of steps that gets loaded when you import a recipe may be subject to copyright, depending on how closely those steps resemble the original recipe's instructions, and whether the original instructions were copyrightable.
I'll agree that common flavor pairings, frequently associated spices, and best techniques for a given ingredient are the more interesting data. It'd be great to ask the database what spices are frequently used in Thai food, for example. Combine it with a list of local suppliers of hard-to-find or imported ingredients and you have a winner.
So, what you really want is _The Flavor Bible_ (you can get it on your Kindle), which is an intensely well curated, expert-driven dictionary of flavor pairings. For instance, Thai: Thai basil, bell peppers, CHILE PEPPERS, cilantro, coconut, coriander, cumin, curries, fish, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, herbs (fresh), lemongrass, lime, mint, noodles, peanuts, rice, shirmp paste, sugar, turmeric, vegetables.
The basic database you're looking for already exists (and, if you cook regularly, at a very reasonable price). You should just buy the book. Yes, it does beg to be a web app, but you need the expertise behind the book more than you need the convenient interface. I'm wary of convenient- but- bad- answers to important questions.
Comments
It's interesting. Wholesale scraping of thousands of other peoples' recipes is ballsy, clever, but makes me a bit queasy.
You probably already know this, but the ingredients lists are not copyrightable according to [http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl122.html]. It seems from reading that site that the list of steps that gets loaded when you import a recipe may be subject to copyright, depending on how closely those steps resemble the original recipe's instructions, and whether the original instructions were copyrightable.
I'll agree that common flavor pairings, frequently associated spices, and best techniques for a given ingredient are the more interesting data. It'd be great to ask the database what spices are frequently used in Thai food, for example. Combine it with a list of local suppliers of hard-to-find or imported ingredients and you have a winner.
So, what you really want is _The Flavor Bible_ (you can get it on your Kindle), which is an intensely well curated, expert-driven dictionary of flavor pairings. For instance, Thai: Thai basil, bell peppers, CHILE PEPPERS, cilantro, coconut, coriander, cumin, curries, fish, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, herbs (fresh), lemongrass, lime, mint, noodles, peanuts, rice, shirmp paste, sugar, turmeric, vegetables.
The basic database you're looking for already exists (and, if you cook regularly, at a very reasonable price). You should just buy the book. Yes, it does beg to be a web app, but you need the expertise behind the book more than you need the convenient interface. I'm wary of convenient- but- bad- answers to important questions.
It's a long, long tail before they call it "stealing". -Josh Strike