By Drew Bigelow, Library Aide, Kingstowne Library

Winter is a time full of holidays dedicated to celebrating history, family coming together and eating delicious food. What better time to get a start on your own recipe box?

First, you’ll need to select your box or container itself. This can be as easy as finding an old shoe box. Get creative by wrapping it in paper and using markers, stickers and other craft supplies to decorate the box in a way that represents you.

Then it’s time to start collecting recipes. For this, all you need is index cards! Of course, you can start by writing down your own recipes, but also try to go further afield. Ask family, friends, neighbors – almost everyone has a recipe they’d be willing to share. Who knows? You may end up with such an impressive collection that it ends up in a museum. Amelia Chamberlain of the Stillwater History Museum discovered a metal recipe box dating back to the 1940’s, featuring “a group of typewritten recipes cards [that] chronicles a get-together of the BU PEO Women’s Club of Stillwater” among others documenting traditions and food practices of the time.

There is never a wrong time to start a recipe box. This is a chance to create your own version of time travel – to reach out to new generations, allowing them to look back.