food

The free, universal Epicurious iOS app looks great on the iPad, though syncing with your Web account or the iPhone app requires an in-app purchase.

If you've searched for a recipe online, odds are you've ended up on Epicurious.com. This huge online recipe database culls recipes from a wide array of sources, including Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines and numerous cookbooks. The iPad app grants you access to over 30,000 recipes and presents them in a sleek, easily navigated layout. The app also includes an enhanced search functionality to help you sort through the sometimes overwhelming … Read more

Evernote Food lets iDevice users take photos and notes of meals not to be forgotten.

My wife and I entertain a lot. We have two young kids, and having friends to our place for dinner is less expensive than paying a babysitter and dining out. Plus, we like to cook. We typically have the same cast of characters over for dinner, and my wife recently expressed a desire to start a food journal, so we could remember what dishes we cooked for whom, in an effort to avoid duplication.

You should also know that our household is somewhat unorganized. Or … Read more

With recipes so freely available online, it's difficult to recommend paying for a cookbook app. There is one such app I plunked down for, and I feel it's worth every penny.

You may know Mark Bittman from his The Minimalist column in The New York Times. He's also the author of a number of cookbooks, including the excellent "How to Cook Everything." The How To Cook Everything app costs $4.99 for the iPhone or $9.99 for the iPad, but each features the entire contents of the How To Cook Everything hardcover, which costs more than twice as much as the iPad app, even at its discounted price on Amazon. And with its timers and shopping list features, the app does things the book can't.… Read more

If you find yourself spending more time in the kitchen and start wondering why some of your dishes work while others fail, pick up a copy of Cook's Illustrated magazine or download the free iPhone app.

The Cook's Illustrated app includes 50 of the magazine's best recipes (subscribers can access more) and makes a great introduction to Cook's Illustrated's scientific approach to cooking. In the magazine, each recipe is prefaced by an article that details the various methods the author tested to prepare a dish, and why the chosen method works best. The app includes a truncated version of the article for each dish along with a video.

… Read more

In-N-Out Burger's iOS app is helpful when you get that In-N-Out urge.

Lest you think I'm a health nut, subsisting on local produce and sustainable seafood, I feel the need to share my love of In-N-Out Burger with you. There was a time when I lived in California and could grab a Double-Double with little to no planning. I didn't know how good I had it. Now I live on the East Coast and must come to terms with the fact that the nearest In-N-Out is 1,529.3 miles away in Rockwall, Texas.

I found out … Read more

There is no shortage of grocery list apps and kitchen calculator apps, but here's an example of each that I think iPhone owners might find useful.

The first goes beyond simply helping you create a shopping list for your next run to the store. In addition to creating a grocery list, it also helps you schedule and plan your meals. The second app is noteworthy because it provides useful kitchen conversions and substitutions for free.

Mise En Place I have yet to find a grocery list app that is easier to use than the small pad of paper I … Read more

If you care about the health of the world's oceans, you have likely become aware in recent years of the harmful effects of overfishing. With Seafood Watch, a free iOS app, you'll have a handy pocket guide to help you find seafood that is fished or farmed using sustainable methods.

The app gets its data from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, which uses "a science-based, peer-reviewed process" to encourage "consumers and businesses to purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that don't harm the environment." With the app, you can look up a particular type of fish to see if it is a Best Choice, Good Alternative, or something to Avoid. You can also look up restaurants and markets in your area that feature ocean-friendly seafood, and you can add places you've found that offer it.… Read more

This free iOS app makes discovering new recipes fun and easy.

At first blush, the Foodily iOS app appears to be a mobile Twitter-like feed for foodies. By following friends, famous chefs, and food bloggers, you get a feed of recipes, from which you can create a favorites list, comment on, or share via e-mail or Facebook. Where the app really shines, however, is with its search functionality, which helps you narrow your efforts in the vast sea of recipes online.

When you launch the app, you'll be asked to sign in via Facebook or e-mail. Choose the former, … Read more

January isn't the best month to write about a local-produce app, but given the mild winter we've had thus far in the northeast, it feels more like spring, so here goes.

Locavore is a free iOS app (Android, too) that shows you what produce is currently in season, what local produce those around you are eating, and where the farms, CSAs (community supported agriculture), and farmers' markets are located in your area.

After installing the free app (I am using the iOS version), you'll want to allow the app to know your location when it politely asks. … Read more