How Foodies Use the Internet

The digital age is in its prime, and trees are becoming much more valuable today in a world soaked in a soup of Carbon Dioxide. We need as many trees to fight global warming and the death of the cook book might contribute to mother nature after all!. Books are very convenient when they are in front of you; you pick one up and turn to your favorite pages faster than any internet browser can do for you. But books are not free, and they cost a bundle, especially if you want that glossy hardcover with a photo of your favorite chef or dish. You might get a photo with a recipe but thats it. Computers are our new libraries and 60% of Americans have Internet access now.

Many restaurants are using Video Blogs to produce 15 minute cooking shows for individual recipes thanks to YouTube and Google. These shows are taped right out of the restaurants themselves and are a big advantage for marketing their dishes. Since 2005, studies have shown that 50% of consumers look to the Internet to search for their favorite recipes.

Julie Taras, co-owner of New York a based restaurant named Little Giant, made her public debut last September on YouTube; and the name of her show is titled “Secret Ingredient”. Her producer is Mara Fleishman, who tapes the show from the kitchen with hardly any production costs. Fleishman says that video blogs or-“Vlogs”, are the best methods to market their famous gourmet Black Rice, and Maple Glazed Duck. “Their putting down the cookbooks, and turning on their computers” She says about her customers in one of her broadcasts.

You don't have to be a wealthy restaurant owner to benefit from online marketing. Everyone can be their own version of the Iron Chef and possibly reach star status someday! Everything from video cameras, editing software and high speed connections have gotten cheaper and easy to use lately. Marketing is also easier than ever because you can produce films right in your apartment or kitchen.

Foodies also have quality shows on their hands when searching the web, including some shows with odd eccentric hosts such as Jolene Sugarbaker, the drag queen chef whose show is titled “The Trailer Park Cooking Show” on Youtube. Sugarbaker also has 2 minute tutorials that can be found on Epicurious.com, another fantastic site with a huge library of Vlogs and Blogs from all types of chefs. Whether your a guru or a home-made star, you can benefit from Vlogs to market any dish you deem worthy to share with the world.

Restaurants can benefit from rating systems that don't necessarily have to come from a paid critic. Online customers can generate the most feedback that shoppers can trust. When 80 out of 100 people loved the recipe, then you know you can count on making it the exact same way. You can follow a variety of advice that is just unless on the web! Comments, reviews, and ratings come from a large number of shoppers, rather than one critic's opinion that you get in a magazine or newspaper. Averages are tallied in user-friendly rating systems that are usually found on right next to someone's journal or Vlog. You can't possibly get such great feedback from just a cookbook. Some websites even have community forums loaded with food lovers that talk about their favorite recipes. Cookbooks might offer one image per recipe, whereas in the internet, you can find a bunch of photos.

Some popular websites like GourmetSleuth.com even offer rare ingredients ready to order. The site gives good advice on how to incorporate each ingredient into recipes and lists good pairing group descriptions for each ingredient, including which wine to drink with it. ChefShop.com is a good internet retailer that sells fresh sashimi grade fish from Hawaii. The site offers a huge list of recipes suited for vegetarians and fish eaters. The ingredients for the recipes are pretty rare and exotic and could be ordered with the click of a button.

Cookbooks are becoming relics and more Foodies are depending on their Internet for that creative dish to spark up a night. But besides the web, there are also some Software and programs to help get your creative juices flowing. Popular cooking software such as Mastercook categorizes recipes like no cookbook can, offering recipes from cooks ranging from the diverse regions of the world. Strangers can peek into each recipe box and online journal created by users from New York to Japan, 5 star restaurants and old world kitchens. Cooks can talk about the successes and pitfalls of each recipe and how adding their own touch can help make your dinner one to remember.

I really think Rachel Ray could be the last person to ever make a fortune on cook books. Older generations and senior citizens are beginning to rely on computers more than years past since the Internet is evolving to help make surfing user friendly. Everyone today can be a master chef with just a couple of web searches!