diff --git a/src/generate.py b/src/generate.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4d579d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/generate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/bin/python
+
+import os
+import warnings
+import yaml
+
+import recipes.ingredients
+from recipes.recipe import Recipe
+
+base_dir = ".."
+
+# load ingredients
+ingredients = {}
+with open(base_dir + "/ingredients.yaml") as file:
+    ingredients = recipes.ingredients.load(file)
+
+# load recipes
+recipes = {}
+for filename in os.listdir(base_dir + "/recipes"):
+    split_filename = filename.split(".")
+    if split_filename[-1] != "yaml":
+        warnings.warn("bad file format: " + split_filename)
+        continue
+
+    with open(base_dir + "/recipes/" + filename) as file:
+        recipe_name = split_filename[0]
+        recipe_yaml = yaml.load(file, Loader=yaml.BaseLoader)
+        print(recipe_yaml)
+        recipes[recipe_name] = Recipe(recipe_name, recipe_yaml, ingredients)
diff --git a/src/recipes/__init__.py b/src/recipes/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/recipes/ingredients.py b/src/recipes/ingredients.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c05ef51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/recipes/ingredients.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/false
+
+import yaml
+import warnings
+
+from .measure import MEASURE_TYPES
+
+
+class Ingredient:
+    def __init__(self, name, object):
+        # ingredient name in different languages
+        self.name = {"en": name}
+        if "translations" in object:
+            for language in object["translations"]:
+                self.name[language] = object["translations"][language]
+
+        if "types" in object:
+            self.types = object["types"]
+        else:
+            self.types = {}
+
+        # initialize measurement types
+        self.measure = []
+        if "measure" in object:
+            # ensure we have a list of measure types
+            measures = []
+            if isinstance(object["measure"], str):
+                measures = [object["measure"]]
+            elif isinstance(object["measure"], list):
+                measures = object["measure"]
+            else:
+                warnings.warn(name + ".measure should be string or list")
+
+            # transform measure name into measure objects
+            for measure_name in measures:
+                if measure_name not in MEASURE_TYPES:
+                    warnings.warn("Unknown measure type: " + measure_name)
+                else:
+                    self.measure.append(MEASURE_TYPES[measure_name])
+
+
+def load(stream):
+    ingredients = yaml.load(stream, Loader=yaml.BaseLoader)
+    ret_ingredients = {}
+    for name in ingredients:
+        if name in ret_ingredients:
+            warnings.warn("Duplicate ingredient: " + name)
+        ret_ingredients[name] = Ingredient(name, ingredients[name])
+    return ret_ingredients
diff --git a/src/recipes/measure.py b/src/recipes/measure.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14c7543
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/recipes/measure.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/false
+
+
+class Measure:
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class Weight(Measure):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+
+
+class Volume(Measure):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+
+
+MEASURE_TYPES = {
+        "weight": Weight(),
+        "volume": Volume(),
+}
diff --git a/src/recipes/recipe.py b/src/recipes/recipe.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61e2272
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/recipes/recipe.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/false
+
+
+def loadTitle(title_object):
+    if isinstance(title_object, str):
+        return {"en": title_object}
+    elif isinstance(title_object, dict):
+        return title_object
+    else:
+        pass
+
+
+class Step:
+    def __init__(self, object: dict, ingredients: dict, isMain: bool):
+        if isMain or "title" not in object:
+            self.title = ""
+        else:
+            self.title = loadTitle(object["title"])
+
+        # TODO: finish loading
+        pass
+
+
+class Recipe:
+    def __init__(self, name: str, object: dict, ingredients: dict):
+        if "title" not in object:
+            self.title = loadTitle(name)
+        else:
+            self.title = loadTitle(object["title"])
+
+        self.steps = []
+        if "step" not in object:
+            self.steps = [Step(object, ingredients, isMain=True)]
+        else:
+            for step in object["step"]:
+                self.steps.append(Step(step, ingredients, isMain=False))