Keep a recipe’s author, title, and original URL attached to your saved copy, then put substitutions and tested changes in a separate notes layer. The goal is not to freeze the recipe; it is to make clear which instructions came from the source and which came from your kitchen.
Capture provenance before editing
Record:
- author or creator;
- publication or platform;
- original recipe title;
- canonical URL or physical source description;
- date you accessed it, if the source is likely to change.
Do this when saving. Attribution reconstructed from memory is unreliable.
The exact permissions for republishing or distributing an adapted recipe depend on context and jurisdiction; this guide is about organizing a private cooking record, not legal advice. If you publish someone else’s material, review applicable permission and attribution requirements. Creative Commons’ attribution guidance is relevant when the source actually carries a Creative Commons license; it does not grant permission for an otherwise restricted recipe.
Use three visible layers
Source record
What the original explicitly states: quantities, method, yield, timing, and author notes.
Uncertainty record
What the source omitted or what an import may have misread: “pan size not stated” or “caption and narration disagree.”
Personal edition
Changes you made and tested: “used 150 g mushrooms,” “baked in dark 20 cm pan,” or “next time reduce salt.”
This structure prevents an assumption made during import from later looking like the author’s instruction.
Write edits as decisions, not replacements
Instead of overwriting “240 ml stock” with “180 ml,” record:
Source: 240 ml stock. My 2026-08-03 test: 180 ml produced the texture I prefer on my induction hob.
Once the change is stable, your default cooking view can use 180 ml, but the note still explains the relationship.
Mise retains the original source on supported imports and allows the saved recipe to be edited. Use that source link for verification, edit the saved fields for the current edition, and keep any dated change log separately; do not imply that the creator endorsed your variation.
Handle a source that changes
Publishers correct and update recipes. When you notice a change, do not automatically overwrite a version that worked for you. Record the new access date and decide whether to:
- adopt the correction;
- keep your tested edition;
- preserve both with a short explanation.
If a link breaks, retain the recorded author and title. Mark the URL unavailable rather than removing provenance.
A practical note format
Original source: [author, title, URL]
Captured: [date]
Uncertain in source/import:
-
Cooked: [date, equipment]
Changed:
-
Result:
-
Next time:
-The record is useful even if nobody else sees it: six months later, you can repeat the successful version without rewriting the source’s history.
Try the workflow
Keep the source. Review the recipe. Cook from your version.
Download Mise on the App StoreSources and further reading
- Honeydew — view the original recipe source
- BBC Good Food — how to write a recipe
- Creative Commons — attribution best practices
Read how we research, draft, review, and correct guides in our editorial policy.