In a small but concise priority listing of life, food is near the top. So is my iPhone. Thankfully, Apple combines the love I have for both.
Earlier this month, I got an email from Apple with dozens of food application suggestions. While I gave you my top five free food apps for smartphones in December, here are three more freebie essentials for you.
Chipotle -- This one has been out for a while, but I didn't think it was worth mentioning until I actually used it. With the recent Fort Lauderdale location opening, the debate among the locals will continue, but Zona Fresca doesn't have an app where you can put together your entire order, customize it the way you like it (extra cheese, mild, medium, and corn salsa, please), and then skip the lunchtime lines just to pick it up. If you're a repeat offender like I am, you can save your favorite orders or make new ones in bulk. If I'm not familiar with a certain area, the app tells me if there is a location around me, which it did late last year when another one opened in Coral Springs. Despite the dingy map feature, the app is still worth the download, even for the minimal Chipotle eaters.
How to Cook Everything -- New York Times food writer Mark Bittman is, in my opinion, the epitome of personal foodie branding. His personal website boasts his laundry list of accomplishments, including his badass bestseller, How to Cook Everything. It's so awesome, there's an app for it. Worth $5. And yes, it is worth $5. But if you're not down for shelling out dough to find out how to make dough, the Essentials app -- 102 of the most necessary recipes every cook should have -- is worth the price of free. Learn the basics of a classic tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad. Make the quickest and easiest pasta sauce imaginable. With every recipe introduced with Bittman's quick wit and the steps easy enough to compliment my attention deficit disorder, this is my new favorite recipes app.
Best Of... -- When I downloaded our very own app earlier this year, I said, out loud, "This. Is. Awesome." While the Best Of... app lists all categories, I use it specifically for the food. I can see all the winners from last year, which helps me discover places I've never been to or even ones I've forgotten about (Sorry to the Pelican Diner. It's been awhile). This comes in handy whenever I'm not in my immediate comfort zone (also known as Broward County). I've found late-night chow and quick brunch food using this app. Even with the limitations of only one year, the list is still comprehensive.
It's like getting to know your town without wasting the gas first.
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