Hugo Liu, a graduate from M.I.T.’s media lab, has designed a Synesthetic Cookbook. A Synesthetic as the name suggests, is taken from synesthesia. The literal meaning of synesthesia, the blurring of sensations, is applied to the digi-cookbook.
To create the database Hugo did the following things:
1. Collection of resources from food sites, reviews of culinary historian Barbara KetchamWheaton and a catalog of culinary statements.
2. Cross-referenced the information and incorporated it with a huge bulk of recipes.
The total number of recipes in this virtual cookbook is 60,000, which is indexed according to 5000 ingredients and 400 cooking methods. The function of this virtual cookbook is that it corresponds to your four senses: taste, smell, sensation and temperament too. The database corresponds with the food taste, specific cuisines, ingredients, smell, and texture of the food you feel like having.
This database has a really large scope, presenting you food from cross cultures. It works like this:
I feel like having something white, okay it will take you to a wide database of white food, and then you can play with your choices from texture of the white food, taste, and smell. The database will give you reference for each option and will finally give you the recipe of your choice…food that you wanted to have at that moment. Therefore, people this calls for all those who do not know cooking but love to eat, the robotic reader references your food desires and gives you what you want. It is a rare piece of food technology combined with food art.
Caution: Do not blame the robot if it does not get the recipe of your choice, you might have got lost while trekking down your tastes.
Synesthetic Cookbook at: NY Times
