“I tell my daughters that when I go, they’ll know the good recipes by the dirty pages.” —Kim McKinney

Dirty pages. The cookbook pages ringed with coffee stains, the recipes smudged with chocolate or butter, dusted with flour,  a creased piece of paper or the back of an old envelope, pages wrinkled and folded, the faded careful script of a mother or grandmother. They're the recipes we refer to again and again. But beyond the dishes they help create, these pages hold stories. 

Dirty Pages is an ongoing project that gathers and shares the stories behind those well-worn, well-loved recipe pages that seem to live in every kitchen. We have created photography exhibits, hosted potlucks, dinners, and gatherings, and shared stories across many channels and mediums.

Dirty Pages was created by food writers Erin Byers Murray, Jennifer Justus, and Cindy Wall, a trio of friends who eat enthusiastically, write passionately, and believe fully in the ways shared stories about food tie us together.