New ... need advice

[Xed]

I am planning a niche cooking recipe site. How does copyright apply to cooking recipes?

Can I take a recipe and change the way its delivered for the audience? Would that be copyright violation?

thanks

[KLB]

Yes recipe's can be copyrighted. How far the copyright could extend is something that can not be answered until such a case went to court. In general, facts can not be copyrighted, only the way those facts are compiled and presented can be copyrighted. The catch is that recipes arguably are not facts, they are expressions of art (like a music sheet).

[Selkirk]

I'm feeling lucky: U.S. Copyright office - recipes.

[Xed]

thanks guys!

[KLB]

Good find Selkirk. The lesson being that one needs to rewrite the instructions, which can be copyrighted, that go with the ingredient lists (which according to the link provided by Selkirk) can not be copyrighted.