Found on Facebook: Secret recipes?

[Saviolo]

From a cooking community I was invited to join on Facebook:

A friend and I were talking the other day about recipes. She asked me why I give up all of my recipes (i don’t measure anything so technically it’s not a formal recipe anyway). Her family has many family secret recipes. I explained to her that I watched someone cook delicious dishes that everyone loved. She passed away and the dishes went with her.... Why? I never understood the point of keeping it a secret. So the question is:
Secret recipes? Or share away?? I’m not referring to restaurants or any recipes that are profitable.

My response was:

Share share share. That's why my hubby and I started putting cooking videos up on YouTube. Recipes from his past and my past, and recipes from his recently closed restaurant, as well. Increase the amount of good food in the world, don't hoard it!

That old expression "A great chef never reveals their secrets" is patently false, given how many great chefs release amazing and instructive cook books to spread the knowledge around. How do you all feel about this?

[elleng]

1. WITH YOU!

Nothing secret about the dill I recall in grandma's chicken soup, which I just added to mine!

[doc03]

3. I gotta share this my grandmother made the best dill bread it was delicious

and now it is easy. Just go to your local grocery and ask for Pillsbury frozen Dill Dough.

[elleng]

5. WOW!

Had sourdough toast with dilly chix soup, and may look for Dill Dough!

Posted recipe for DILLED SHORT RIBS WITH CARROT GRAVY Saturday, so really into it!

[SeattleVet]

7. ...I see what you did there!

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

2. Absolutely share!

I’m always a little puzzled when asked if I’ll share my recipes. Not only do I share, I insist they let me know if they make improvements

[FuzzyRabbit]

4. I asked my parents for our favorite family recipes.

After I moved out and was on my own, occasionally I would want one of my favorite meals. So I would called Mom or Dad for that recipe, and wrote it down.

After my folks were gone, I compiled these family favorite recipes into a cookbook, and gave it to my sister as a Christmas present. She was so happy that those recipes were not lost forever.

[Neema]

6. Most of the best cooks never follow strict recipes anyway, so there's

always ways to make it your own. I'm lucky if I can remember what I did most of the time. But if I do, I'm happy to share.

[Callalily]

8. Oh, definitely share.

It's great praise when someone asks for a recipe. Additionally, when they make it, you receive credit and praise again!

[Freddie]

9. I put all my family favorites on Big Oven

It's there for me, my daughter and any total stranger who wants them.

[Lars39]

10. I put all mine in notebooks and gave them to the offspring

when they left home.

[dem in texas]

11. yes, sharing recipes is sharing memories

I started first grade with Jeanette, not knowing she would be my life-long friend and finally my sister in law. We became fast friends and both of us loved to cook. I can remember the two of us in her mother's kitchen when we were 12 or 13 years old, cooking up a storm. We knew no boundaries, made fried chicken, roast venison, strawberry short cake, on and on.

She married my older brother and I married an Air Force man and we both moved far away from each other. When we would visit each other, off we'd go to the kitchen and start cooking. Sadly, she died at age 47, but I keep her memory alive by cooking so many of her recipes. We call them Jeanette's oatmeal cookies, Jeanette's one bowl cake, Jeanette's venison cutlets, etc, so her memory lives on.

I love it when I get a call or email from my kids or grand kids, asking for one of my recipes. I am always happy to share my recipes.