Contacts is actually a good, simple database app. It syncs with your computer, backs up, allows desktop entry and sorts automatically.
But you're wondering how you would use it. I have been miffed for years that I haven't had a decent electronic recipe book on my desktop or palmtop. The problem was solved by using Contacts. A sample entry would have "Recipe: Cheerio Pie" in the name field and the recipe in the Notes field. This way I don't have to weed through the Cheerio Pie entry to get to the email address of Charles Wright of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band to thank him yet again for the contagious Express Yourself. All the recipes are together for easy flicking.
Having desktop ability allows me to cut and paste the recipes into Contacts. I also can just include URLs of recipes on the Web. I tap on the link in contacts and it opens in Safari on iPhone.
Notes works similarly. You have the disadvantage of having to type all recipes in via the iPhone keyboard, but you gain the ability to email them from your phone.
Contacts: iPhone's Database
