Mobile apps for foodies

Check out some of the coolest free food and drink applications for smartphone users.

From food and drink recipes available at the touch of a button to shopping list generators, there're thousands of mobile phone applications available for download. For foodies on the go, here are some of the coolest - and free- applications that are creating a buzz.

Epicurious' Recipes & Shopping List:

On the Go and in the Kitchen: This nifty iPhone and iPod Touch application is a one-stop source for cooks. It gives access to more than 30,000 recipes, which you can browse according to categories such as Weeknight Dinners and Decadent Desserts. Filter the recipes further by what's in your fridge, main ingredient, cuisine, etc. Once you've selected a recipe, you can create an interactive shopping list for it. Favourite list. It's no wonder it has already been downloaded more than one million times.

Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner - Recipes, Drinks, and more!:

This is another handy tool for iPhone and iPod Touch users looking to whip up a meal without any hitches. It gives access to a selection of the finest user-submitted recipes from the popular website

www.allrecipes.com

. The uncomplicated interface gives you recipes according to type of meal, type of ingredient, nutritional information and cooking time; if you want to go to a random recipe, simply shake your phone.

Mixology - 7900 Drink & Cocktail Recipes:

If you're throwing a party but don't have a clue about what drinks to serve, this is a great iPhone/iPod Touch application to have. Browse almost 8,000 recipes and 1,300 ingredients and get a primer on bartending terminology and techniques. Recipes are divided into categories such as martinis, shooters, cocktails, hot drinks and non-alcoholic. You can add your own drink recipe to the library, too, or share recipe with friends through email, Twitter and Facebook. But the coolest feature has to be the 'Liquor Cabinet'- simply enter all the liquor and mixers you have at hand, and you can search for the cocktails you can make using those!

BEIKS Cocktail Recipes Glossary:

Another bartending guide, but this one's for Blackberry users. It comes with 500 cocktail recipes for every occasion. The interface is simple and convenient.

10001 Cocktails:

This is among the definitive bartending apps for Android users, with an array of cocktails- more than 16,000 classic and new-age concoctions — available at their online database. There are reviews and recommendations to go with them. You can also add your own drink recipes and rate existing ones.

MB Health Astrology 1.45:

Now here's something off the beaten track — a diet guide according to your sun sign! The app tells you the most important health-related issues that plague various sun signs, and then tells you what to eat and what to avoid accordingly. Works on Windows OS phones.