Compared to the relative intimacy of a recipe book a computer based search (or worse, probably, an Internet search) seems sterile in comparison.
The answer might be somewhere in web 2.0 land though. Would you trust the recommendations of friends more than those on your bookshelf? Could the software learn what you like and come up with better selections in future? Solving this problem might require an understanding of just what it is in any given dish that characterises it and thus appeals or not to any given consumer. Analysing those characteristics could provide an excellent basis for a recommendations engine.
However, will you just go with a majority or would you prefer the positive reviews of a selected group? Tastes vary! Much as I love my visits to the USA I think US food is far too sweet so I would probably avoid the guidance of west Coast hackers. I also know that food styles vary - I live in France and here food tends to be simply prepared (well in the countryside anyway) and dishes concentrate on a simple combination of flavours - perhaps with more dishes served in succession during a meal than would be normal elsewhere. Thus a recipe suitable for my neighbours might fail if presented to some visitors from the UK.
So - back to my original response I think...
Accounting for tastes could be taken care of reasonably well in well named recipes: 'country style ratatouille' Thai style ratatouille, a new twist on an old favorite.'
But anyway, I think there's more to it then just recipes. I want to make pate. Could be trout, could be pork, could be goose. Where do I start. What kind of pate do i want. A really good solution would let you find new foods.
maybe not.
Anyway, if you can come up with a way to recommend a recipe specifically for my tastes, available ingredients & all that Jazz, I'm in. But first I'd like to know why the simple solution isn't working.