Bill Rice has been exploring his ancestry for more than a decade, so he knows that tracking family traditions is hard work. One summer, over a delectable meal on Cape Cod, he and his family realized that one of the best ways to share their traditions with future generations was right on the plates in front of them. However, Bill wanted to go further than a standard family cookbook by creating heirlooms that share recipes as well as stories and photographs culled from several family members.

Bill’s high school friend Chip Lowell built the technology that was the backbone of the enterprise—and now forms the backbone of Family Cookbook Project, which makes its technology available to clans everywhere. The software allows creators to add personal touches to their books, from hand-written recipes to bookmarks made from the family’s favorite deli meat. It also sends email reminders to contributors, amasses recipes, and hosts an eclectic stock of templates and color schemes.