Food Blogs: Are Cookbooks Obsolete?

Have you noticed the proliferation of Food Blogs on the internet? Could this be the demise of "the cookbook"? As an avowed foodie and internet junkie, I have spent hours browsing these blogs for information, inspiration, and entertainment. I do have my favorites which you can find at another of my Hubs. These online journals cover everything from the culinary world. Cooking, recipes, cuisines from around the world, food culture, technique, amazing photography, and travel are just some of the subjects these blogs cover. And, with all the technological advancements of the blogosphere, these sites are, for the most part, very professionally done. And on top of all this, they're free! As we've seen with other print media, are cookbooks headed for extinction?

The majority of people today get they're information online. From news, sports, entertainment, health, fitness, technology, and business, the superiority of the internet is insurmountable. Television, magazines and other print media just can't compete. In the food world, all the information imaginable is at our fingertips. Just a click away. These food blogs have extensive amounts of information that any cook can research and use whenever the need arises. The better sites have fantastic food photography and some give step by step pictorials. The recipes are well written and easy to follow, even for beginners. Food blogs have a huge advantage that cookbooks aren't able to provide. Interaction! You're able, through comments or email, give immediate feedback to the author about your experiences whether good or bad. Having a problem? Drop a comment. Almost all well known cookbook authors have food blogs to supplement and promote their books.

I have a confession to make. For years, I've collected cookbooks. My bookshelves contained up to 100 books about food and cooking. Now, my collection has been reduced to twenty-five of my most cherished editions. In the near future, cookbooks will survive the onslaught of the Internet information explosion. I believe that "baby boomers" will continue to buy and use cookbooks. We're still more comfortable with a physical rather than a virtual entity. The cookbook authors will have to have a strong presence in the media to be successful. Classic cookbooks, like Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Larousse Gastronomique, and The Joy of Cooking will always have a place in our food world. As time goes by, the younger generations will rely on the internet for their knowledge and technique on all things cooking. For me, there's a certain sensual pleasure when perusing through a cookbook, reading about the culture and history of a certain cuisine, seeing pictures of the food and discovering the recipes and flavors from around the world.

Believe it or not, there are blog directories devoted to nothing but food-related blogs. Obsessed? Maybe. It just proves the popularity of food and cooking with the convenience of online access. As with other forms of print media that are suffering from dwindling sales and subscriptions, the cookbook, as we known it, will be less of an influence in the future. Sad but true....

Here's some of my favorite food-related blogs

FOOD GAL Carolyn Jung is an award winning food journalist in Northern California. With a mixture of recipes, restaurant reviews, chef interviews, event announcements and recaps, you'll enjoy Carolyn's personable style.

FOOD NEWS JOURNAL FNJ is a daily rundown of what's hot online in the food world. Categories include: Food for thought, Best of the blogs, and Wine and Spirits. A must for foodies!

EPICURIOUS This giant all-in-one food website has the most extensive library of recipes on the web. There are also cooking tutorial videos, a blog and a forum.

101COOKBOOKS This cooking blog is devoted to vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free recipes. Heidi Swanson has over 100 cookbooks in her collection. She draws from these and creates her own inspirations.