diff --git a/src/Roux/Html.hs b/src/Roux/Html.hs
index c244d78..807ff76 100644
--- a/src/Roux/Html.hs
+++ b/src/Roux/Html.hs
@@ -658,11 +658,13 @@ cookLogJs =
         , "var form = document.getElementById('roux-record-form');"
         , "var dateInput = document.getElementById('roux-record-date');"
         , "var commentInput = document.getElementById('roux-record-comment');"
+        , "var errorEl = document.getElementById('roux-record-error');"
         , "if (!btn || !modal || !form) return;"
         , ""
         , "function showModal() {"
         , "  dateInput.value = new Date().toISOString().slice(0,10);"
         , "  commentInput.value = '';"
+        , "  errorEl.style.display = 'none';"
         , "  modal.style.display = 'block';"
         , "  dateInput.focus();"
         , "}"
@@ -681,20 +683,23 @@ cookLogJs =
         , ""
         , "form.addEventListener('submit', async function(e) {"
         , "  e.preventDefault();"
+        , "  var date = dateInput.value;"
+        , "  var comment = commentInput.value;"
         , "  var filename = btn.dataset.filename;"
-        , "  var fd = new FormData(form);"
+        , "  var body = 'cooked-date=' + encodeURIComponent(date);"
+        , "  if (comment) body += '&comment=' + encodeURIComponent(comment);"
         , "  var res = await fetch('/cook-log/' + encodeURIComponent(filename), {"
         , "    method: 'POST',"
-        , "    body: fd"
+        , "    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' },"
+        , "    body: body"
         , "  });"
         , "  if (!res.ok) {"
         , "    var err = await res.json();"
-        , "    alert(err.error || 'Failed to log cooking');"
+        , "    errorEl.textContent = err.error || 'Failed to log cooking';"
+        , "    errorEl.style.display = 'block';"
         , "    return;"
         , "  }"
         , "  hideModal();"
-        , "  var date = fd.get('cooked-date');"
-        , "  var comment = fd.get('comment');"
         , "  var entryDiv = document.createElement('div');"
         , "  entryDiv.style.margin = '0.3rem 0';"
         , "  entryDiv.style.fontSize = '0.9rem';"
@@ -983,6 +988,7 @@ renderRecipe filename recipe entries = do
                 H.input ! A.type_ "date" ! A.id "roux-record-date" ! A.name "cooked-date" ! A.required ""
                 H.label ! A.for "roux-record-comment" $ "Comment (optional)"
                 H.textarea ! A.id "roux-record-comment" ! A.name "comment" ! A.placeholder "How did it go?" ! A.maxlength "500" $ ""
+                H.p ! A.id "roux-record-error" ! A.style "color: var(--roux-accent); font-size: 0.8rem; margin: 0 0 0.5rem; display: none;" $ ""
                 H.div ! A.class_ "roux-modal-actions" $ do
                     H.button ! A.type_ "button" ! A.class_ "roux-modal-cancel" ! A.id "roux-modal-cancel" $ "Cancel"
                     H.button ! A.type_ "submit" ! A.class_ "roux-modal-confirm" $ "Log it"
diff --git a/src/Roux/Server.hs b/src/Roux/Server.hs
index 6ca2f1e..bf7e12b 100644
--- a/src/Roux/Server.hs
+++ b/src/Roux/Server.hs
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import qualified Data.Map.Strict as Map
 import Data.Text (Text)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Data.Text.Encoding (encodeUtf8)
-import Data.Time.Clock (diffUTCTime, getCurrentTime)
 
 import qualified Network.HTTP.Types as HTTP
 import qualified Network.Wai as Wai
@@ -48,6 +47,7 @@ import qualified Data.ByteString as BS
 import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe, mapMaybe)
 import qualified Data.Text.Encoding as TE
 import Data.Time.Calendar (Day, fromGregorianValid)
+import Data.Time.Clock (diffUTCTime, getCurrentTime, utctDay)
 import qualified Data.Time.Format as Time
 import qualified Database.SQLite.Simple as SQL
 import Roux.Config (AnthropicConfig (..), RouxConfig (..))
@@ -672,22 +672,29 @@ handleCookLogPost db filename request respond = do
     let params = parseFormBody body
         dateStr = fromMaybe "" (lookup "cooked-date" params)
         comment = lookup "comment" params
+    let doInsert d = do
+            _ <- CookLog.insertEntry db filename d comment
+            respond $
+                Wai.responseLBS
+                    HTTP.status200
+                    [("Content-Type", "application/json")]
+                    (LB.fromStrict (encodeUtf8 "{\"ok\":true}"))
     case parseDate dateStr of
-        Just day -> do
-            _ <- CookLog.insertEntry db filename day comment
-            let resp =
-                    Wai.responseLBS
-                        HTTP.status200
-                        [("Content-Type", "application/json")]
-                        (LB.fromStrict (encodeUtf8 "{\"ok\":true}"))
-            respond resp
+        Just d -> doInsert d
         Nothing ->
-            let resp =
-                    Wai.responseLBS
-                        HTTP.status400
-                        [("Content-Type", "application/json")]
-                        (LB.fromStrict (encodeUtf8 "{\"error\":\"Invalid date format\"}"))
-             in respond resp
+            if T.null dateStr
+                then getCurrentDay >>= doInsert
+                else
+                    let resp =
+                            Wai.responseLBS
+                                HTTP.status400
+                                [("Content-Type", "application/json")]
+                                (LB.fromStrict (encodeUtf8 "{\"error\":\"Invalid date format\"}"))
+                     in respond resp
+
+-- | Get today's date.
+getCurrentDay :: IO Day
+getCurrentDay = utctDay <$> getCurrentTime
 
 -- | Parse a YYYY-MM-DD date string.
 parseDate :: Text -> Maybe Day