About Epimeles

Epimeles is a recipe platform that is intended to make cooking easier. It should be easy to find what you are looking for, and easy to understand and follow a recipe, and stay organized along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Epimeles work?
On Epimeles, recipes are built up of ingredients. The ingredients are registered in the system, and contain information about allergens, diets, and more. If you are writing a recipe and you need an ingredient that is not registered, you can use the Feedback button at the bottom of the page to request that it be registered.
Who can add recipes to Epimeles?
Anyone can write recipes on Epimeles. Make sure you follow copyright law if you write from a source, as violating this may result in the removal of the recipe, or a ban for repeated violations.
How does copyright law work around recipes?
An intellectual work is a creation, such as a text, that is the result of an original and individual creative effort. A list of ingredients for a dish is not itself an intellectual work. However, the method can be designed in such a way that the text constitutes an intellectual work. In that case, it cannot be copied. If you want to write a recipe from a source, the method of preparation and the description of the recipe must be written in your own words.
How was the name Epimeles chosen?
Epimeles is the name of the first chapter of the cookbook De re coquinaria by Apicius, written between the 1st and 5th centuries. Epimeles means "the meticulous" or "the diligent", which aptly describes someone with a passion for cooking. The name was chosen both because of its meaning and because of its historical connection. Many recipes in Epimeles are historical, and a handful are from De re coquinaria.
Why was Epimeles created?
Epimeles was created partly out of frustration. Often you find recipes in random places with different formats, in different languages, and with different units. The information you are looking for can be missing, and it can be difficult to find exactly what you want. It is also difficult to keep track of your own recipe collection, accommodate guests with special needs, adjust the number of servings, and read certain recipes, especially when they start with a three-page story about grandma. This is some of what Epimeles is intended to improve. Epimeles was also created as an experiment. How many ingredients do you need to cover most recipes? What is the ancestry between different dishes from different countries? How much information can be derived from registered ingredients? Last but not least, Epimeles was created out of a love of cooking and a desire to share with others. It is a joy to share a recipe you have improved with others, and hear how they liked it.