Pass the remote, I'm hungry...

While social networking has become a phenomenon in the past decade, food has become a source of entertainment within that social network. We’re all about sharing our eating activities online, sharing photos of mouthwatering meals and decedent drinks, posting status updates like “bacon” and making sure everyone knows we’re checking in” at our favorite eateries.

 various food postings by my facebook friends (click to enlarge- back space to return)

It was less than 40 years ago that food was mire sustenance, we cooked our Hamburger Helper on our harvest gold stove top.  We ate because we needed to fuel our bodies.

1970's kitchen

In the 70’s and 80’s gourmet meals were reserved for upper class.The unwashed, middle class considered a fondue party or a Friday night at Pizza Hut outing to be the ultimate communal dining experience. In this new millennium we call home, anyone can buy a Groupon to a five star restaurant. You can even pick up gourmet treats at the local Publix deli.

 old school Pizza Hut

The electronic media feeds this foodie trend. There are whole channels devoted to just food - airing on TV's in virtually every country around the world!  Without picking up a single cookbook, magazine or recipe card, we can get expert advice from our chef friends, Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence (my two culinary crushes!).

Tyler & Bobby

You  never have to leave your house to travel to the deep south for some N’awlins Style Cookin’ from The Emeril *BAM* or savory southern stick-to-your-ribs comfort food from charmin’ mama Paula Deen. We can hone our entertaining expertise with shows like Barefoot Contessa or Sandra Lee’s Semi Homemade. We can witness daring cuisine as it becomes game show fodder on the Food Network Challenge. Or learn the science behind food with Alton Brown… even feed our sweet tooth while watching a baker show down in the Cupcake Wars.

So my point in all this, you ask?  It’s not so much a point as it is a personal observation. Our taste buds have crept out our mouth and into our brain. Our appetite is as much cerebral as it is oral. We are creatures that not only love to feed on food - we experiment with food, we socialize over food, we visually devour food artistry ..... and this food we love so much has become our source of entertainment – thus giving new meaning to couch potato.