The Internet - The Circle of Food...and Life

Interestingly enough, the Internet brings us more information than we want or even need. But, like it or not, it has changed the way we find information and connect with people.

While some decry its affect to keep people from going out of their homes and link it to loneliness, it has been and will continue to be an excellent tool to connect those who can not leave their living spaces. Friends now stretch across miles and continents, and every evening can be spent interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds. It doesn't matter if the person is living in a nursing home, a group home or their own home.

When I spent a year in a wheelchair due to back problems (spinal stenosis) and nerve damage (RSD), being able to connect to others through the Internet helped with everything from diagnoses, treatment and camaraderie. It kept information and entertainment coming into the house, so my children and I could feel less isolated and open to depression.

I have tried to explain my connection to people whom I've never met to people I see regularly in life, and some get it, others don't. Those who get it go on to have a double rich friendship due to the fact that we will "see" each other online as well as later on in the week.

My favorite spot right now is Facebook. Yes, I know there are other communities, but it is like the difference between an major city and a rural dot on the map of information. 

In our home, the technology of this world-wide network has enabled us to connect with others dealing with similar disabling conditions, consult with doctors who would not normally be accessible and make friends with folks that know exactly what we are facing in our day to day life. The best part of this is how much we can share! Now, you know where I am going with this!

Our 1st Thanksgiving Dinner in Charlotte, NC- 2010 [Description: Long table with red tablecloth covered with brimming serving dishes, fine china and crystal glasses, long red taper candles and containers of eggnog and cranberry Ginger Ale. Serving dishes filled with roasted chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, giblet and sausage stuffing and green beans.

I love to share food pics, interesting recipes and my latest creations! Now, I will never tell you I am a food critic or food connoisseur, but I know what I like when I see it. And, so do a bunch of my friends apparently. We all have Facebook pages and albums. You can learn to make a new dish every night just through YouTube videos. Food blogs abound and email newsletters go a long way as well. One of the latest ones I love is Crockin' Girls. Two new feathers in the digital image cap has been Instagram and Pinterest (a site I cannot stay on long without creating ingredient shopping lists!) which provide space to post pics and pin even more items culinar-ily (not sure this is a word, but hey, it's my blog. I like it!) rich to the eye.

My Thanksgiving plate! Yum! [Description: China plate filled with stuffing, green bean, macaroni and cheese, chicken, whole cranberry sauce. Behind plate is crystal glasses filled with Cranberry Ginger Ale and perfectly chilled Moscato wine]

So, if you are a foodie on a fixed income, use the Internet to its fullest capacity. I have visited Japan to see how Takoyaki and Gyoza are made. I have learned step-by-step instructions for vegan sausage. After buying a cast iron pan at a yard sale, I've discovered how to make aebleskiver from the Solvang Restaurant in Denmark. The sites I've linked below are a great way to get started! Here is another good plan:

1. Pick one recipe that you can create that does not create a financial dent in the budget.
2. Make your signature dish and snap a picture of it with a cellphone or webcam. Don't have one?
    Borrow one from someone around you (friend, family or counselor) and ask them to email it to
    you.
3. Share it in an album and let the comments begin!
4. When asked (and you will get asked!), share the recipe! Notes are perfect for this in Facebook.

As my life changes now, I find we entertain more and more people, and the joy of having someone at the dinner table is still a great rush. But, I never forget my virtual dinner guests waiting to share and enjoy!

Do you have some sites that you would like to share with me? Post them below in the comments!

More foodie links I love:

Food So Good Mall
Food.com (formerly Recipezaar.com)
Vegan Lunch Box