Digital Heirlooms [Recipe Books of the Future @mountainjewel + @bir...

This article by @mountainjewel is part of a blockchain collaboration series. Learn more about the Sndbox #cryptocollab initiative, here.

Photo adapted from @ birdsinparadise Cashew Flour and Butternut Squash English Muffins

A Ledger for Recipes

For this month's theme of Collaboration I played with the idea of 'Digital Heirlooms' given the scope of Steem blockchain's immutable ledger. I had long thought that one of the assets of blockchain technology is its storability. To this effect, I communicated with my mom, @birdsinparadise, and tossed around the idea of co-creating one of the most traditional forms of family heirlooms, a recipe book.

My initial idea was to create the book on @dbooks.org, but I had trouble with the DApp and couldn't contact the founder. They also don't allow photos and that was a key component for me as a part of this digital heirloom as my mom takes such beautiful food photography. We briefly thought about creating a kindle book, but decided in the end to wait for an application on the blockchain.

Sunny Morning Breakfast Parfait photo and recipe by @birdsinparadise

Red Wine Spicy Italian Calzones photo and recipe by @birdsinparadise

Generations of a ’Digital Heirloom'

I chose my Mom as a collaborator because it means a lot to me that she accepted my invitation (okay maybe persistent pestering!) to join Steem.
Not only that, but she has taken off and built a community of her own and developed considerable skills as a creative food blogger. Food is a time honored way humans show love and I know my mom demonstrates her love for us through this. Each time I see her posts, I am reminded of what a repository she is making for her grandkids, or even great great grandkids to get a window into their grandma's mind, feel her enthusiasm, see her development as a creative foodie and content creator, and a store of recipes!!

When my grandmother died when I was in college, I scoured her computer for any shreds of personalized writings.

It's important for the younger generations to connect with the private thoughts and creative drives of their ancestors. Indeed this is a natural human drive. In collaborating with @birdsinparadise to make a multiple Volume 'Digital Heirloom' of her recipes, I am simply helping in the organization and consolidation of a ball that is already rolling. I hope that future generations find it valuable. I think they'll be amazed that their grandma was so cutting edge and so so ingenious and creative in the kitchen!

For this collaboration, we sent ideas back and forth through email and also talked on the phone. We then took it into busy.org and worked on a draft together. As mentioned previously, I hope there is a working and advanced Steem DApp that allows us to create photo-rich books on the blockchain.

Our final creation: A Bird's Eye Collection of Healthy Eats Volume 1 | by Mme Oiseau

The First Volume

A Bird's Eye Collection of Healthy Eats Volume 1 | by Mme Oiseau

I really enjoyed working with @birdsinparadise on this collaboration. I love playing with modern forms of technology in the ethos of creating heirlooms, which are traditionally not based in technology. Yet, if we are to be able to speak to future generations, I believe it is a positive thing to stay relevant in this way and expand the borders of defining heirlooms and even of how we conceive of blockchain potential.

This post was authored by @mountainjewel, a member of the sndbox incubator. Learn more, follow @mountainjewel or begin a conversation in the comment section below.

^{Empower artists, writers, musicians, non-profits and community initiatives - delegate Steem Power to @sndbox (using the links below) or follow our curation trail. Learn more about Sndbox - watch our introduction, here.}