What's Cookin', Good Lookin'?

Warning:  If you have deadlines approaching, avoid clicking the links below.  The social media network discussed in this post is highly addictive and should be visited with caution!

Sometimes, we don’t know what we’re in the mood for.  Sometimes, we just want whatever looks good.  For these occasions when you’re not even sure what recipe to search for, I present to you Pinterest. 

Pinterest describes itself as “an online pinboard” where you can “organize and share things you love.”  This site isn’t dedicated solely to baking, as it is a place to collect all of the things you love, but there is usually at least one yummy-looking recipe within the top few rows of posts.  If you’re not in the mood for scrolling, you can also select the category “Food & Drink" by hovering over the “Everything” title at the top of the page.  

On the “Food & Drink” page, you will find recipes of all sorts.  There’s savory and sweet and healthy and guilty-pleasure-worthy.  With pictures included for every recipe, it’s just like window shopping, but for food!  There are plenty of options to browse through, so something is sure to strike your fancy.  This browsing method is what led my roommate and I to this (speaking of guilty-pleasure-worthy). 

Too Good!

One of my favorite features of Pinterest is that you can “repin” things to your own boards to save them for later.  I can’t wait to try these and this!

A word to the wise:  Many pins on one page of Pinterest will catch your attention.  For this reason, I suggest opening the links to each pin in a new tab by right clicking on them.  This way, you won’t leave the main page.  If you leave the main page and then return, new pins will have been posted and you may not be able to find the original pins you wanted to check out. 

Another perk of Pinterest is that you can follow boards.  When I find a recipe I like, I usually take a look at what other types of things are included on the board and then decide if I want to follow or not.  Sometimes I like users’ pins so much that I follow all of their boards.  This is a great way to connect with like minded individuals with taste similar to yours.  You can also comment on pins and tag other users in your pin explanations.

Pinterest isn’t only for when you don’t know what you want.  Say you’re hungry for something pumpkin-y (as we all are since the leaves are changing and autumn is upon us).  Just type “pumpkin” in the search bar and see what yummy treats (and dinner options too) come your way.

 You’ll have to request an invite in order to start pinning, but happy browsing until then!  Consider yourself warned: Pinterest and procrastination go hand in hand, so only pin when you’ve got some time to kill (like when your cookie-oreo-brownie concoction is in the oven!). 

YourSpace, MySpace, BakeSpace

In years gone by, people gathered to share baked goods through means of a cookie swap or a cake walk.  While these are still great ideas for social gatherings, it makes more sense for the modern baker to get these experiences online.  In the vast world of social media, it is easy to find like-minded individuals who share your passion for baking and all things sweet.

Meet “the web’s tastiest social network,” BakeSpace.  As the name of this site indicates,   it is similar to social networks in the likes of MySpace and Facebook.  BakeSpace allows users to add friends, share recipes, and even find a mentor.  Mentors are matched with users who are looking to learn their area of expertise.  

Recipes can be searched by many different characteristics so that you can always find exactly what you are looking for.  My favorite feature of the website is that once you find a recipe you like you can add it to your “recipe box” and organize all of the yummy treats you want to try.  Often when searching for a recipe online, you come across other things that aren’t exactly what you’re looking for, but are still very enticing.  I like that this site allows you the option to save recipes in a place where they can easily be accessed at a later date whenever the craving strikes.  

BakeSpace also allows you to follow certain recipe categories that interest you.  I follow all of my true loves: cake, cheesecake, cupcakes, and cookies. J My favorite times to bake are holidays, so I also follow my two favorites, Halloween and Christmas.  It’s great that BakeSpace allows you to customize your recipe feed to fit your baking style.

BakeSpace allows users to review recipes posted by other users.  Reading over the reviews can help in the pivotal moment when deciding if a recipe is worthy of your precious time.  Adding an extra social element, BakeSpace offers a “conversations” tab which includes message boards where you can start a conversation or join one.

Social media is allowing today’s bakers to connect in a whole new way.  I can’t wait to see how recipes are shared and friendships are made 20 years from now!