Usage and modification of xcookybooky

Question

The Problem:

I'm trying to use the xcookybooky package to use a cookbook layout. I chose this, since the other recipe, cuisine, cooking and so on are not exactly working for me.But even xcookybooky needs to get some adjustments/modifications, which I do not exactly know how to accomplish.

Below I attached an example pictures and code to which I will refer to.

My issues are:

1. Unicode support: It does not seem to be possible to use the degree Symbol (°) by default. I fixed this by using the \usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc} package. But I have read that this can cause some problems, maybe this is interfering with the other points below.

2. The font for the recipe title (in this case "Currywurst") looks like c**p. The package author writes in his documentation, that there is an option to change the font:

\setRecipenameFont{ %pbsi % fau % fwb % fjd 
    cmr % default
}{T1}{m}{n}

But even this example does not work and is throwing an (unrelated?) error: "Undefined control sequence \headline".

3. I'd like the ingredient list to start with the recipes info, directly below the recipes title. Yet I haven't found any option to temper with the margins. Maybe I have to alter the package style itself to use a multicolumn box or something? I'm open to suggestions.

4. If I add some text as a description or as some kind of info, it is placed above the whole recipe container, since it is not using the official commands. I'd like to introduce here a new full column box under the recipes title.

Example Picture:

Example Code:

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage[a4paper]{geometry}
\usepackage{xcookybooky}

\setRecipeColors
{%
    recipename = black,
    ing = black,
    inghead = black,
}

\setRecipeSizes{
    recipename = \normalsize,
}

\setHeadlines{
    inghead = Ingredients,
    prephead = Preparation,
    hinthead = Hint,
    calory = energy content,
    continuationhead = Continuation,
    continuationfoot = Continuation on next page
}

\begin{document}

\begin{recipe}[
    preparationtime = 30 min,
    bakingtime = 1 hour,
    bakingtemperature = 225°C,
    portion = 4 portions,
    source = THE INTERNET
]{Currywurst}

Description or some info on the recipe? Nope...

\ingredients{
    2   & bars      & Dark chocolate \\\
    3   &           & Eggs \\
    200 & ml        & Cream \\
    40  & g         & Sugar \\
    50  & g         & Butter
}   

\preparation{
    \step This is the first step for cooking a brilliant meal.
    \step The second step follows...
}

\end{recipe}
\end{document}

Source/Documentation: http://mirror.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/xcookybooky/xcookybooky.pdf

When I look at this list, maybe it would just be easier to modify the whole package :\

Answer 1

Answer for issue 2:

The package is confused by the font name "cmr" with the two spaces at the begin and end of the name. The argument for the family name is not a key value list, where the key value parser might remove the spaces. Solution:

\setRecipenameFont{% pbsi % fau % fwb % fjd 
    cmr% default
}{T1}{m}{n}

Answer 2

Answer for issue 1:

\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{textcomp}

For issue 3+4 you will probably have to redefine the whole recipe-environment. I don't see any suitable "hooks" in the definition.