Tastespotting...The real deal?

[girlwholovestoeat]

http://www.tastespotting.com/

For a while my goto for recipes...although these recipes come from seemingly popular blogs- is the photography just splendid OR are the recipes real as well. Can I use this as my recipe search engine...have you guys tried tastespotting?

[dave_c]

For me, Tastespotting is a collector for pretty food pictures. The recipes people use are usually based upon popular/reputable cookbooks. There are very few original recipes. So I would generally trust the recipes, especially if they cite their source.

[HillJ]

I don't agree entirely with that experience, dave c. Just because most of the recipes food bloggers select are based in published sources doesn't mean they aren't adapted, revisioned, substituted and experimented with as well. If you want something trust worthy go to the orignal source, if you are looking for fun, tutorials from people who like to try out new recipes for a readership than the blogs featured on Tastespotting are one way to gain a collection.

[dave_c]

You are absolutely correct about the bloggers fiddling around with the original recipe.

Lesson here - hope the blogger cites the original source and go from there.

[JuniorBalloon]

First I've heard of tastespotting. Me like. Thanks.

jb

[arjunsr]

the recipes are all real in my experiences but for me i get inspiration on what to make and look for other versions of the dish/use my own.

sites like tastespotting/pintrest just highlight a single image instead of getting lost in a ton of words

[HillJ]

http://www.tastespotting.com/guidelines

Right from the owners lips.
http://www.tastespotting.com/about

Tastespotting has served a purpose - helping readers find independent food blogs. Visual advertisement and only a fraction of food bloggers submit their work and of that only a small percentage are selected to appear on the daily listings.

I've found some very interesting recipes over the years but there is no guarantee that recipes posted will work because Tastespotting does not kitchen test any of the recipes.

[dagoose]

The only qualification of Tastespotting is a good picture, so there is no assurance that the recipe is in any way useful. On the reverse, often the best recipes will have no picture, so then you'll never find them on Tastespotting (most notably stuff from, say, Epicurious)

[girlwholovestoeat]

i just cant bring myself to trust picture-less recipes...its like i dont know what im getting into!

[gmk1322]

+1, usually a deal breaker for me too

[dagoose]

Yeah, and that's why I started putting pictures on my own blog, but I'll be honest--it means the best recipes go unposted because I'm not a photographer, I'm a cook and a writer. If I posted recipes without pictures they would be my best recipes, but nobody would read them.

[mattstolz]

i do have to admit though. sometimes it confuses me that there is a "tastespotting" "foodgawker" and a "foodspotting." sometimes when someone mentions one of them i have to think for a second or two to make sure im picturing the correct site!

[cellophane_star]

Tastespotting is my go to source for recipes. I check it every day. Sometimes you have to wade through posts that don't appeal if you're looking for something specific but otherwise, I find it's a great resource (and prefer it to similar sites, like Food Gawker).

[mattstolz]

tastespotting is one of my go-tos for recipes. i love that you get a bunch of good visuals with most of the recipes you look for.