From Alexa to AMP: How the Internet Can Make You a Better Cook
Don’t fear your kitchen. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from living in a college dorm, it’s that cooking your own meals is always better than eating dining hall food. If you’re looking to get more involved in the kitchen—without burning the building down—the Internet is here to help.
Google Home & Amazon Alexa
Need a sous chef by your side? Try Google Home or Amazon Alexa.
With an index of over 5 million recipes, Google Home reads out the step-by-step instructions as you cook in real time. Simply begin with “OK Google, start cooking” and you’re on your way. Forgot a step? You can ask to repeat steps or go back to a previous instruction if you space out on what kind of flour you’re supposed to be using.
Plus, Google Home can multitask way better than you can. From playing music to converting measurements, you’ll get those cookies baked in no time. Check out how easy it can be.
If you’re more of an Alexa aficionado, here’s the rundown of how it’ll change your kitchen life for the better. You can search a database of up to 60,000 recipes and ask Alexa to explain how to cook the meal step by step. Amazon also partnered with Allrecipes.com, so Alexa can help you make grocery lists.
Alexa’s got the know-how on calorie count and suggests wine pairings with your food so you can truly take your at-home dining experience to the next level. Oh, and one more thing. Alexa can control smart cookers, too. It’s better than the Disney Channel original movie Smart House.
Google AMP and recipes
Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages Project (AMP) has optimized mobile search results in card-style and carousel formats. Recipes are now part of the AMP platform.
Recipes go with AMP like wine and cheese. Users can access recipes quickly and easily. Simply tap on a rich card to view a recipe within the SERP or swipe to preview more recipes within the carousel. How convenient is that?
A regular search result:
AMP search result:
You get to compare side-by-side recipes and decide on the best recipe for blueberry cake on mobile. (Pro tip: adding a pinch of flour to blueberries before mixing prevents a soggy bottom).
If you’re looking to whip up a new concoction, Google’s AMP carousel format is here for you.
Schema in the kitchen
When you’re searching for a recipe on Google, results often include a star rating, the time it takes to cook, and calorie count. Ever thought about how this detail gets included? It’s all thanks to recipe schema.
If you’re not familiar with schema, check out our Scheme 101 Introduction. Recipe schema is simply structured data markup that includes all the important facts people need to know before baking some blueberry muffins.
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Hungry? Me too. Time to say “OK, Google, let’s start cooking.”