Web Reviews

by Deneeta Saft
This Month’s Sites:Glorious Food!
It’s November, and the only way I can think to heat my apartment is by cooking it warm. This month’s sites have a food theme. Whether dining in or dining out, the web can help you make it yummy!
The Basics
Betty Crocker
http://www.bettycrocker.com/
I don’t know if Betty Crocker is strictly an American icon, but she’s where most little Americans start their tenure in the kitchen. Created as a marketing ploy, Betty has been with us since the 30’s and so have her cookbooks of simple, white bread (figuratively and literally) recipes. For those of you who, like me, sometimes find it difficult to get to the market before it closes, the site offers a “What’s on Hand” section that allows you to choose from a list the things you have in your cupboard and fridge. Click submit, and Betty whips up recipes which use only those ingredients. Also included is an automatic shopping list generator, conversion charts and nutrition information about each recipe.
For Japanese Cooking
The Kikkoman Cookbook
http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/world/cookbook/index.htm
The funny thing about this site is that the recipes are not all Asian. Everyone, however, includes one essential ingredient. Ummmm, I wonder what that is? I mention this site not for the recipes, though, but for the Glossary, which includes pictures of Japanese foods and related items. If your recipe calls for yude, and you’re not sure what it looks like, you can browse here before confusing the local yasaiya-san.

Bob and Angie’s Kitchen

http://www.osakagas.co.jp/webcooking/index_e.html
This site has dozens of Japanese recipes in English and hundreds more in Japanese. It includes pictures and nutritional values, which is a godsend in this country of information-less lables.
For Vegetarians
Veggies Unite
http://www.vegweb.com/
One of the first veg-head sites on the web and one of my first bookmarked cooking sites, Veggies Unite has been going strong for years. Includes general vegetarian information as well as over 2,700 vegan recipes. Search by food type (breakfast, beans, etc.) or alphabetically. The site also includes a shopping list feature and a weekly meal planner (both contingent on membership to the site), a glossary (now I know what Dauphinoise is), a great links page and a link to a really nifty nutritional analysis tool.
The Mother Load
Epicurious
http://www.food.epicurious.com/
This site is the Cadillac of food sites. It includes monthly menus from Bon Appetite and Gourmet magazines, a searchable database of over 9,000 recipes from around the world, cocktail recipes, a drinking dictionary, a food dictionary from which you can search for recipes and more. Planning a Thai meal? This recipe collection can give yo
Dining Out?
Tokyo Food Page
http://www.bento.com/
If you’re tired of dining in, but don’t know where to go, try the Tokyo Food Page. This site includes over 1,000 restaurant listings searchable by neighborhood, cuisine, and specialty lists (e.g., after hours dining). You can even download the restaurant database on to your Palm Pilot! The site is in English and Japanese.
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