Thanks to the Internet, cooking has never been more fun! A global kitchen is just a click away with zillions of on-line recipes... food tips...menu planning... and cooking secrets. No culinary question is too big, no ingredient too obscure, or no predicament too challenging.

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all," said syndicated columnist Harriet Van Horne.

The Reluctant Gourmet, is for "beginner and intermediate" cooks. Written by a former Wall Street bond broker now living in Utah who taught himself to cook as hobby to relieve stress. "If you are an amateur, like myself," he said, "I can help you cook like a pro."

Food For Thought features literally thousands of links and recipes. The Kitchen Link, "cooking on the net since 1996," boasts "over 10,000 links," with ideas to fill your lunch box, salad plate, and soup bowl. Another labyrinth of information can be found at Recipe Source, which boasts an unbelievable 67,087 recipe archive. (There are 576 recipes for brownies alone-- pour me some milk, quick!)

As Benjamin Disraeli put it, "As a rule, he or she who has the most information will have the greatest success in life."

For vegetarianism, go to, VegWeb, which includes recipe exchanges, testimonials, and even veggie poetry. Do you want to know how the Olive Garden makes their Parmesan Crusted Chicken, TGIF's blends B-52 Shooters, or Bennigan's prepares Potato Wedges? Check out CopyKat Creations.

And if tonight you're taking a break from cooking and dining out, Zagat, the guru of restaurant ratings, has a site to locate or rate favorites, by neighborhood or cuisine. Zagat also looks at newcomers, sleepers, and "teflons" (those lucky folks who get a lot of business despite mediocre food).

"A good cook," explained Italian-French designer Elsa Schiaparelli, "is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness." So hurry, dispense some happiness, and keep clicking!

If you're hungry, come and get it!