Uh Mah Gaw.

There are several sites I frequent where so-called "Food Bloggers" tempt me with their magical foodie material: Orangette, Gluten-Free Girl (even though these two are a little bit too high on life for a sometimes cynic like me to handle), Je Mange La Ville, Smitten Kitchen, etc.

Mostly I am inspired, sometimes annoyed, always drooling over what I find at these sites. Periodic attempts to recreate featured recipes have met with much success. Every so often I've noticed the long list of links to other food sites that adorn the sidelines of the above-mentioned food blogs, but I almost always hesitate to click through for further investigation because a) Who has time? and b) well, really it's just that who has time? The few I have clicked through in the past have annoyed me for one reason or another (too few photos, too much meat product, too heavy of an emphasis on muy expensivo ingredients, or more recently on things I just can't - or shouldn't - eat).

So I was utterly delighted when I clicked on a tantalizing sidebar link today called "Tastespotting" and found the mother of all food porn stashes. I've died and gone to -aholic heaven (insert noun there - sex, food, calorie, porno, whatever) with this site boasting hundreds of pages of large alluring photos and easy click-through links to the fabulous featured foods therein. I probably spent an hour clicking through the assortment today, dying anew with each page load.

Unfortunately, I can't eat about 70% of what's highlighted on each page, but F it, I can still imagine what each thing tastes like, especially all the crazy desserts (I've always had an unhealthy relationship to food, one might say, and this just continues the trend... but in my mind instead of on the plate. Better? Depends on who you ask, I'd bet). As for the 30% of food items in the world that are Acupuncturist-approved and with which I am free to cook up without restriction, I am totally inspired by the photos on this site. Coupled with the new "Veganomicon" cookbook gracing our countertop, I think we are good to go for a while.

On that note, I must to the kitchen, lemon and pea risotto is calling for stirrage. I leave you with the addictive food photos of lusciousness. Click at your own risk. Go ahead, click on it. I dare you. Tastespotting.com