Food Networking

Leafing through the June 2007 issue of Bon Appetit this weekend, I found an article entitled "Food Networking", providing FoodCandy, Extratasty, and BakeSpace as examples of social networking sites focused on food. Social networking, as defined by Bon Appetit, is "the online phenomenon in which people meet on a Web site to talk about subjects they love".

Although the names suggests it, the topics on FoodCandy are not exclusively about candy, but encompass a wide range of foods. You can create a profile to communicate with other members, recommend recipes and restaurants, syndicate your blog, and post videos and podcasts.

On Extratasty, you can find drink recipes and also provide feedback on drinks you have tried and made. You can create a profile and make friends with other users to see their favorite drinks. Recipes can be uploaded onto your iPod for easy access.

BakeSpace is a site to make friends, post recipes, find out about food-related events, and chat using the instant message program called "TeaRoom".

These social networking food sites are different from sites such as AllRecipes because you can create profiles to communicate and associate with other members. In addition, these food social networking sites are comprised of input directly from members such as recipes, videos, comments and recommendations, photos, and discussion forums instead of relying on articles written by staff members, as does AllRecipes.