If food is a Singaporean's first love, then local food blogs are the equivalent of love sonnets written by inspired devotees of gastronomical pleasures.

Indeed, Singapore's insatiable love affair with food has spilled over into cyberspace, where a thriving community of aficionados and amateur chefs whets your appetite for all things palatable.

Dr Leslie Tay, 38, a general practitioner, is among them. He runs the popular blog called ieatishootipost (http://ieatishootipost.blogspot.com), which reviews a wide array of eateries, including hawker centres, restaurants and coffee shops.

Says Dr Tay: 'Blogging brings together several of my passions: food, photography and socialising. I've met many people through my blog and some are now my regular makan kakis.'

Blogs like Only Slightly Pretentious Food ( http://epicurative.blogspot.com), A Travelling Hungryboy (http://eatbma.blogspot.com) and The Skinny Epicurean (http://skinny-epicurean.blogspot.com) contain eloquent entries on their writers' dining exploits. The bloggers, who use pseudonyms, critique the eateries they visited and even post pictures of the food they tasted. Some also provide their own rating systems for dishes and restaurants.

Of course, not all reviews are favourable. And it is not just the food that gets reviewed. Bloggers also give their two cents' worth on a restaurant's ambience and service and can be unapologetically critical.

But blogs dedicated to food are not just all about sniffing out good eating places. One of their key attractions is the social and community element which allows foodies to discuss recipes, share cooking tips and even trade or sell the food they whip up.

Student Cheryl Chia, who runs the blog She Bakes And She Cooks (http://thebakerwhocooks.blogspot.com ), is an avid amateur baker and chef who concocts her own dessert recipes and posts them online.

She says: 'I believe that all good things are meant to be shared, including recipes and delicious food! I hope that my food blog will inspire others to pick up baking or cooking.'

She also sells her array of baked goods, ranging from cookies to biscuits and cupcakes, on her site. But it is not just about the money, she says. Food is a central part of her life.

Says the undergraduate: 'When I'm not in my kitchen, I'm out there trying out new food. I am always on the lookout for more food-related things to do - like getting myself an apprenticeship.'

Yet another joy of being a food blogger or 'flogger' as some have termed it, is being part of a community with common interests. According to Ms Chia, food bloggers are 'like one big family'. They often meet for meals and head out to new restaurants together.

Just last August, the Singapore Food Bloggers' Dinner was held at Sage Restaurant, organised by the well-known Aun of Chubby Hubby (http://chubbyhubby.net/blog) and Colin of Only Slightly Pretentious Food.

While the majority of food blogs have a small and niche readership, some blogs have reached cult status among the Web community. Among them is Kuidaore (http://brandoesq.blogspot.com), run by 31- year-old freelance writer and culinary instructor Joycelyn Shu.

Ms Shu started Kuidaore in June 2005 as a way to keep a record of some of the more interesting recipes she has tried or cookbooks she has read. Now, Kuidaore contains tantalising recipes for meals as well as haute-couture-like desserts: from financiers to parfaits and Madagascar bourbon vanilla cupcakes. True to the passion for food, the blog's name means 'to pass out from overeating' in Japanese.

The dame of delicacies has her own custom-bake service named Gateaux Fabulous. She also conducts dessert-making classes at Shermay's Cooking School. The school was started by the author of The New Mrs Lee's Cookbook: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 - hailed by many as the definitive guide to Nonya cuisine.

Of course, not all foodies start their own blogs. Many are just content to rely on them as valuable sources of information.

Auditor Seah Jian Liang, 28, for example, reads local food blogs religiously to find places to have good meals.

He says: 'All I have to do is to look through a blog like ieatishootipost or Chubby Hubby to find a restaurant that suits my budget and my tastes. It's like having a database at your fingertips.'

On the other hand, polytechnic student Melissa Ngiam, 20, enjoys trying out recipes posted on Kuidaore, She Bakes And She Cooks and Only Slightly Pretentious Food. The aspiring pastry chef has built a collection of more than 30 dessert recipes from her favourite blogs.

She says: 'Food blogs are a lot more personal than recipe books. These food bloggers give personal advice on how to perfect a dish.'

And for expatriates like business consultant Alexi Savin, 35, Singapore food blogs provide an avenue for foreigners to get acquainted with local food.

Says Mr Savin, who hails from Paris: 'As an outsider, I follow these food blogs to get to know local cuisine: where to eat, how to cook local food, the history behind it. It's fascinating.'