We’ve all had it happen. It probably makes you angry when it does, too. You’re sitting in the doctor’s office waiting room, thumbing through a magazine and find a picture of food that looks great, then when you turn to the recipe page it’s gone. It has been torn from the magazine leaving you dangling, never to know how to make the best tasting lamb stew known to man.
Is it stealing?
That magazine belongs to the doctor’s office, not the person in the waiting room, right?
Here’s the hard part to swallow. I hate it as much as the next person, yet…>she says in a tiny voice< I’ve been guilty of doing it.
Not all the time, mind you. No! I’m not a completely horrible person. But, occasionally…
Let me explain myself. When I’m at the dentist or the chiropractor’s offices, I am on a first name basis with the receptionists. If I find a magazine recipe I cannot live without, I stroll up to their desks, smile, and if they have a copy machine (which I know they have because I can see it right there behind them) I ask if I can get a copy of the recipe in question. They always grin back, gaze at the recipe, then gladly make two copies – including one for themselves – because I have found a recipe for the best tasting minestrone with chicken meatballs on the planet and they want to make it for dinner, just like I do!
However, I also belong to an HMO medical group. The waiting room is like an auditorium. The magazines are usually five to ten years old when you can find one. I’m not making excuses, believe me. I know it’s wrong to tear out recipes from magazines, because I try to do it surreptitiously, slip it into my purse, then look around to see if anyone caught me in the act. Guilty as charged! Just call me a horrible person. My rationale is that, well, this magazine has made it for five or ten years and the winter squash medley soup is still here. Does anyone but me really want it?
Sad excuses, I know.
The good news is I’ve reformed!
Yes, I rehabilitated myself from recipe snatching for several years. However, I recently fell off the wagon. I was sitting with my husband at my HMO waiting for a class on Advanced Medical Directives, when I spotted a fabulous looking Blueberry Cream Biscuits with Blueberry Sauce recipe. I told myself I shouldn’t do it, knew it was wrong, yet I showed the picture to my husband and he smiled. “Looks good,” he said.
“I shouldn’t,” I whispered, holding the page between my fingers, looking longingly at the yummy photograph of golden biscuits with juicy blueberry dots scattered across the dome.
I searched in my purse for a pen and a notepad. Couldn’t find either. I looked stressfully at my husband, just as the facilitator of the educational class invited our group into the room. Panic set in. I might never get to make these biscuits! I’d always wonder how delicious they tasted!
In one quick rip, I tore the recipe from the magazine and stuffed it into my purse, praying that no one in the class saw me do it. Shame. On. Me.
Flog me now! I deserve it. I know.
You’re probably wondering how the blueberry biscuits turned out. Truth is, I don’t know yet because I haven’t made them. One thing I can guarantee though, when I do bake them, they will be eaten warm with a generous dollop of guilt.
Do you hate me now? Have you ever stolen a recipe? Do you still dream about that one recipe that got away because of some selfish recipe snatcher like me? Do tell.
Wishing you all the best,
What I’ve learned to do whenever I come across something in a magazine or newspaper I want to remember later, whether it be a recipe to make or an website to visit or a book to add to be TBR list — I snap a picture with my smartphone – I’ve even done this with people’s business cards if I don’t have time to enter in the contact info yet. Instantly saved in a place I know I’ll never lose it. Then I can look it up later and transcribe the info to its more permanent home when I have the time.
BTW – I work in a doctor’s office. We don’t care if you rip out the recipes, but we’d also be happy to make copies for whomever wants one. And watch out for the germs on those magazines! They obviously never get cleaned, so wash your hands after touching them (really after touching anything in a doctor’s office)!
What a fantastic idea, Laura. One more reason for me to finally get a SmartPhone! And thank you a million times for working in a doctor’s office and not caring if people take the recipes or not. You’re a peach!
Also – good tip about washing hands in the doctor’s office.
Thanks!
What a fabulous idea, Laura! I don’t know why I never thought of that…
Here’s a third person saying great idea about the snapping a pic. Thanks for sharing it.
LOL I always knew you were a shady character!! And Laura beat me to my solution – the cell phone photo. It’s not great, but as portable copy machines go, it’s pretty good! Let us know how those biscuits turn out, and hey, how come you didn’t share the recipe???
Hi Roz,
I know my niece takes pictures of her paychecks and they go directly to her bank. I am so out of the loop on this technology stuff.
Oh and Roz said: how come you didn’t share the recipe???
Pure and simple – guilt!
(plus I don’t think it’s kosher to post a magazine recipe – copyrights and all)
Lynne
Share the blueberry biscuits with me and I will never tell! We will feel the guilt as we scarf them down together!
It’s a deal, Charlene!
Thanks for still wanting to be my friend. LOL
Charlene beat me to it! I was going to be your partner in crime if you’d send me the blueberry biscuit recipe! Those look heavenly! I could make them for my sister, who adores blueberries as much as I do.
The smartphone photo/copier is great idea and if you don’t already have one, I highly recommend a ‘Droid–I have a Samsung Galaxy 2 and I’m crazy about it. It’s so easy and I use it for everything, have no idea how I ever lived without it! Fun article, Lynne!
Hi Nan =-
Funny how a recipe snatching story can morph into great information about phones. I love it.
Nan – if you send me your e-mail privately via my website – I will send the recipe to you – for your sister.
Ah Lynne – I, too am a recipe-stealer. I must confess I never even thought about asking the gals at the desk to copy it for me! Must remember to do that next time.
In the meantime – share those blueberry biscuits and all is forgiven!
Christine – I’m thinking about making them and sharing them. How about July 1st? LOL
I’m not a recipe stealer but there have been times I’ve wanted to tear out an article (usually self help stuff). Never thought about asking for a photo copy, or using a smart phone (’cause I don’t even have one) but must remember these tips. And as far as guilt goes, I say make the biscuits and enjoy!!!
Thanks, Robena – I cringe when I read the word – recipe stealer. Honestly, I know it’s wrong!
I think Father’s Day will be the perfect day to makes those biscuits, what do you think?
I don’t cook, but I have seen other people do this. What bothers me is when part of an article I’m reading is missing.
Ohh, Janie – good point. See how doing one bad thing has the ripple effect! I’ve gotten frustrated when I turn to page 64 like the article instructs, and it’s not there because of a dang recipe snatcher like me!
I am with Janie on the missing article stuff when a recipe has been taken. It drives me crazy.
Lynne, you are so evil!
I actually have taken things from magazines in doctors’ offices. Things like makeup recommendations–and yes, recipes. But I TRY not to. I try soooo hard….
Meant to hit reply instead of make a new comment.
Christine, Evil loves company! LOL. thanks for fessing up
Christine, Evil loves company! LOL. thanks for fessing up.
Lynne,
Good thing for you I don’t cook. Although Janie had a point about the end of an article missing. I hadn’t thought of that. Better keep this on the down low… if Kathy Bennett finds out she might come after you for ripping and snatching. (You know, as opposed to aiding and abetting…?)
LOL Dee J. – you’re right, having a crime writer as a friend can get tricky.
Regarding cooking. Two words: You Should!
:0
Another two words: Make me.
I haven’t ripped anything out. I’ve just asked for a copy of it even at my HMO. It’s the article thing for me, too. I’ve also asked if I could take the magazine especially if it’s old enough. I am frequently told yes.
More good tips, thanks Maria.
I’ve often thought about giving all of my old magazines to my HMO because theirs are so old to begin with!
Okay, confession time–I’ve never done this for recipes or articles, but when I was a kid (probably sitting at the orthodontist’s office), I tore out a pic from teen magazine of a band that I liked–probably Duran Duran if I remember correctly–which tells you how long ago this was! I was SO sure I was going to get caught and get in trouble but they were SOO cute!! LOL!
I’ve never done the recipe thing–probably because I print tons of recipes off the web and then rarely bother to make them!
Hi Stacy – thanks for fessing up. The missing magazine page police will be tapping on your door shortly.
LOL about the “rarely make them” comment. I didn’t want to go into that as it was bad enough that I took them in the first place.
Oh you little thief! Now that’s where that recipe went to! Me, steal recipes? Never! I have a whole drawer full of those I’ve ripped out of my own magazines which have never been given a second thought, much less tested, tempting though they may be. No, for me the urge to rip comes from hair styles, wardrobe pieces, interior design ideas — Now, wouldn’t that look just perfect on stage! — but what gets me the most are the fabulous photos I want to recreate in oil and hang on my walls! Lush gardens, waterfall lagoons, tropical isles…. But wait; there’s a whole folder of those here as well! Still, the temptation is overwhelming….
So, what do I do? Do I furtively rip-n-slip? No! My filching days are behind me, ever since I was 5 years old and went “shopping” at the grocery store with Mommy. Hmmmmm …. one of these, and these, and those: a Abba Zaba, an apple, a box of animal cookies. Pop! Into my bag. Remember all those cute little brown bags of varying sizes in the produce section before they discovered plastic ones? Mommy had her big bags, and I had my little one. Obviously these were made just for us kids; those big ones were far too big. Now, how was I to know that I had to pay for all those goodies! Well, I found out alright, just as soon as Mom had the groceries put away and came out front to find me about to share my bounty with my best friend. I was in the car in a flash, zipping back to the grocery store to return my ill gotten gains, thankfully before anything had been devoured, with a big apology to the store owner and a solemn promise that I’d never do it again.
So, when I’m in the waiting room, drooling over a page I’ve just got to have, I don’t rip it out and take it. No — I take the whole magazine! Just snap it shut, fold it, and tuck it under my arm like a clutch purse as though it were mine in the first place.
And then, I bring it back — or mail it — copied but unharmed. Just like Mommy taught me. (Guess asking the desk for a copy or taking a snap with my smart phone would be easier … but where’s the fun in that!) Oh, and by the way, I’m expecting a batch of those Blueberry Cream Biscuits the next time I’m over.
LOL, Robyn!
Fun story.
May you paint many wonderful pictures from your “clippings”
I’ve not torn out a recipe from a dr’s office, but I do copy a lot off the internet!!
Isn’t that true, MBeth. We assume everything on the Internet is free – like author’s books – free to download. Not true!
I guess that’s why I feel so guilty snatching recipes – the next step could be snatching free downloads of authors’ books – where they don’t get a penny for all of their hard work. Right?
Love this Lynne!:) I don’t know that I’ve ever ripped out a recipe. Maybe one at the most and if I did, I suffered great guilt. You’ve inspired me now and the next time I’m stuck in a doctor’s office, I may just rip out a recipe. I LOVE that you did it.<3
You’re a bad influence, Leanne Banks! LOL. Or maybe it was me who was the bad influence.
I say – ask the receptionists (if she isn’t too busy) to make a copy of it for you – OR – if you have a smartphone – take a picture. LOL I learned so much today.
Thanks for commenting.
Another way to find a magazine recipe is to google it. There were pages of hits for Blueberry Cream Biscuits with Blueberry Sauce. Another thing I’ve tried is that I emailed a company for a 1955 recipe for macaroni soup that my mother made… and they sent it.
Linda, that is so right, we can google anything these days. Good to know about the plethora of recipes for those blueberry biscuits. However, that approach doesn’t work with impulse tear-outs, such as I experience. :/
So cool about your mother’s 1955 macaroni soup recipe. The Internet is a great resource, right?