Save a handwritten recipe card
Scan the card with the camera in Saucepan. It reads the handwriting into ingredients and steps. Compare the result to the card, fix anything it misread, and keep the original photo with the recipe. Handwriting varies, so check amounts and oven temperatures first.
Free to save. No account needed. iPhone today, Android coming soon.
How it works
Photograph the card
Flat, in daylight if you can, with nothing across the writing.
Choose Import, then scan
Saucepan reads the writing into ingredients and steps.
Compare it to the card
Check amounts and oven temperatures first. These are the numbers a misread hurts most.
Save it with the original
The photo stays beside the clean version. Add who wrote it in the notes.
When the writing is hard to read
Old cards use shorthand like "oleo" or "butter the size of an egg", and faded ink is hard for anyone. Saucepan gives you a first draft. You are the final check.
- Fix a misread word right in the draft. Keep the photo for the parts only you can decode.
- Add a note for shorthand so the next person can cook it.
- Type anything from the back of the card yourself.
Then cook it.
A saved recipe opens in Cook Mode: one step at a time, in large type. Tap a time to start a timer. Timers ring like an alarm, even on silent.
Add what you need to Groceries, or add the recipe to your meal plan.
Questions
How good is the handwriting reading?
It varies with the handwriting. Neat writing reads well, quick cursive less so. Always compare amounts to the card.
Does the original photo stay?
Yes. It is kept beside the clean version.
Can I put many family cards in one place?
Yes. Make a collection, like Grandma's, and share it with family.
Can I scan a card that is stained or faded?
You can try. The photo is kept either way, so you never lose the original.