Veggie Mama

Where friendly veg recipes and the 90s combine.

Bitesize Treats iPhone app: a review

by 39 Comments

It’s no secret that I’m into cute. Frills, flounces, buttons and bows, if it’s pink and dainty, I find it irresistible.
Same goes for small versions of things – babies, kittens, miniature ornaments and cocktail food. Why have a slice of quiche when you can have a mini-quiche with a baby tomato on top? WHY?
When asked to review this adorable app, I said yes in about negative 2.3 seconds. For many reasons.
1. Bitesize Treats. Treats. Bitesize. Sold!
2. It is based on the Hardie Grant bestselling book Bitesize: 50 Macarons, Cakepops and Cute Things. (Cute Things… #winning)
3. I had just upgraded to an iPhone 4 and I was interested to see how this would work.
4. I am an iPhone app freak. I have pages and pages of them which I refuse to put into folders, because I love them all and want to look at them. They’re organised in groups, but I won’t hide them. The icons themselves are cute!
5. I am a cooking app conoisseur. The flour stuck in my earpiece and random greasy butter smears all over my phone are testament to my new-found addiction to recipes on-the-go.
6. I love reading. It’s a rare day indeed that I do a straight review, but I am happy to promote books, reading and cooking. To anyone. Anytime.
Macarons! Cake Pops! Cupcakes, oh my!
I have to say, I wanted to make just about everything as soon as I opened the app. That right there is a good sign.

 

The photography and food styling is gorgeous… everything looked so enticing.
Ok, back up – what? Blueberry mojito? In popsicle form? Genius. When the weather is warmer these will be the first on my to-do list. Mama needs a summer treat. Anyone wanna join me?
I’ve never made churros before – I suck at piping and I don’t deep-fry anything, really. Except pickles. Everyone should make an exception for deep-fried pickles. And anyhow, I cheat and shallow-fry, which I’m fairly sure can’t be done with churros. However – chili chocolate sauce should never be overlooked in such a manner. And I like that I can favourite this recipe and make the sauce for something else.
The ingredients tab of each recipe are helpfully accompanied by a plus sign, which when clicked, will add the ingredient to the shopping list section of the app.

The method tab also has boxes for you to check when you have completed a step. When I was younger, I read a tip that if you put all your ingredients on the left side of your bench, when you’re done with it you move it to the right side, so you always know where you’re up to. Being able to check off as I go, even though the recipe is on my phone, is incredibly handy for me as I’ve now got to abandon recipes partway through to prop up a slumping Veggie Baby, or stop the cat trying to sit on her head, or collect her if she’s woken early from her nap. I’m likely to forget my own name these days, so having this as an option is a winner.

The shopping list function is exceedingly useful, as I take my phone everywhere, including the supermarket. I love that its organised either by aisle (dried herbs and spices/packaged goods etc) or by recipe. Once you have put the item into your cart, you check the box and the item moves to the bottom of the list. No more confusion and getting home to find you missed the ginger because it was sandwiched in between the celery and vanilla extract on your list and once you collected them you stopped looking at that section.

And if that wasn’t enough, there is even an oven timer, which is great for busy and/or forgetful people like me. Who cook by instinct and only remember something in the oven because all of a sudden it kinda smells like chocolate brownies with a tinge of burning.

The app is available from iTunes, and is priced at $4.49. For more information, you can go here.

If you want a blueberry mojito popsicle, you can come to my house.

*I was given a free app to review. That’s all, folks!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  10. veggiemama says

    August 25, 2011 at 6:53 am

    One could seriously get lost in apps… there really are so many. I'm pleased you like this one though, just looking at it makes me smile. Too gorgeous 🙂

    Reply

  11. says

    August 25, 2011 at 7:03 am

    What a great app.  Off to get that one. Miss10 loves baking, and (currently) wants to be a pasty chef when she's older… encouraging her all the way on that one! Hope it may go on her iPod touch as well as my phone!

    Reply

  12. veggiemama says

    August 25, 2011 at 7:08 am

    I'd be encouraging that too! Imagine the gorgeous treats she would be able to supply you with 🙂

    It will work on any i-Thing (yep that's a technical term) that is iOS 3.0 or higher x

    Reply

  35. says

    September 4, 2011 at 11:41 am

    I don't know whether to love your or hate your for sharing this 🙂 I'm going with Love – esp as my little boy's 1st birthday is coming up and I'm sure this is going to be a huge help! x

    Reply

  39. veggiemama says

    September 7, 2011 at 9:39 am

    Oh thank you! Yes I agree with you – well said! I'm never without my phone, so I can get the ingredients while I'm out and make something as soon as I get home. And it's so cute!

    Reply

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