I read an interesting piece on blogging about recipes that made me a little sad. I'd always figured that if you gave credit like I do then you had done the right thing regarding where the recipes you try came from - hell, I even link to Amazon or elsewhere so it's easy to buy the book if someone (anyone? ... oh yeah no one) is interested. But it seems that this is not the case. I need to ask permission to reprint a recipe - even though I would think one recipe out of a book full of recipes would be fair use. Especially since I transcribe the recipe as is, out of respect to the original, and list my changes in both ingredients and how I do things in my Comments from the Counter. Apparently, that's not legal.
So where is the rule book, or hell, even the guidelines for bloggers? I take care to give credit - hell, that's just the right thing to do. I mean you do that on papers in college, on your thesis - you don't steal anyone's ideas and always give credit - it's, again, the right thing to do. But now what? Almost all my photos are mine. I rather enjoy taking pics, but even then, if I use something, I credit and link to the original. Finding this out is, I don't know, kind of disappointing, but I guess that's what happens when lawyers are involved - aren't they always in this country??
After all this is my online recipe journal - disappointing. You make me sad (oops, do I have to give credit to MP&THG now too - bugger).
Downer.
Interesting link. I always give credit, and agree that it's the right thing to do, but also think that recipes can't really be owned and once they are the point of them dies. Aren't recipes meant for people to share? I think people are getting a little self important these days. I mean, the example she uses in the post is a burrito recipe. Are burritos so complex that someone owns the recipe? That's like saying you own the recipe for fried eggs.
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