Without coffee, Foodspotting might have been built by zombies instead of the happy and helpful team you've come to know and love. So, to celebrate our favorite caffeinated beverage, we share this fun how-to video on making oh-so-sweet and delicious Vietnamese coffee by High Beam Media, a San Francisco-based production company. Enjoy that cup (or two) today. We know we will!

Click here to see what's brewing around the world on National Coffee Day...

Editor's Note: Today's post is by food writer Lindsey Tramuta, a Philly native turned expat living in the City of Light, an experience she blogs about with heart on Lost in Cheeseland. We first met Lindsey on Twitter when she asked when we'd bring Foodspotting eatups to Paris. Since we're a small team based in the US, we asked her to lead our first French Foodspotting gathering...

There aren’t many aspects to Parisian life that disappoint, but the active and accessible social food community in the States is unmatchable. I began using Foodspotting shortly after it was launched and started following their Facebook and Twitter accounts to be part of the rich community that was developing. I watched enviously from afar as my Twitter feed filled with messages of fun eatups in New York, LA, Washington D.C., Chicago and Orlando, so I messaged Amy, Foodspotting's Head of Community, “But when will you come to Paris?!” She threw the ball in my court and gave me the opportunity to organize Paris’ first eatup, an unexpected honor that I gladly accepted.

Choosing the venue for a Foodspotting event was a no brainer - it had to be my favorite local spot, Le Pearl. Still I wondered - Will the guests understand the purpose of the event? Will I fail as a host? Will there be enough space at the restaurant? So many questions, but the number of RSVPs quickly jumped to 30, 40 then 45 before settling at 48. The owners of Le Pearl were ecstatic but knew they'd have to come up with a feasible offer for everyone given their small kitchen and lack of staff. Thomas, the chef and owner, prepares everything himself from scratch so catering to 40+ hungry guests all at once would require finesse.

We settled on a mixed savory platter for one flat fee with reduced prices on cocktails. Guests would be able to order dessert off the menu but the savory dinner options would not be available. The hope was that guests would enjoy the preview and be motivated to return to test out the full menu. Given the great turnout I'd say people are likely to return!

Everyone was intrigued by Foodspotting and saw its potential in Paris, a city where food and dining out trumps virtually all other activities. More than that, they were enthusiastic to meet some new, international faces and chat over food and wine, like fellow bloggers and food lovers Anne Ditmeyer of Prêt à Voyager, Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day! and Kasia Dietz of Love in the City of Lights, among many others. I even got to meet Claire Goasdoue, the Brittany-native who recently opened her very own crêpe restaurant called Little Breizh in the heart of Saint-Germain.

The evening’s last guests started heading home close to midnight and I can only hope the second Foodspotting event in Paris will be as successful.

Read more about Paris' first Foodspotting event on Lindsey's blog, and click here to learn how you can host a Foodspotting eatup in your own home city.

All photos courtesy of the author.

This summer, we began our search for the first round of Foodspotting Ambassadors. We had a good idea of who we were looking for: people who are creative, inspiring and magnetic, and who would motivate the Foodspotting community to come together over our common appreciation for food and discovery. What we did not realize, however, was the many forms that "great" could take.

Our number of app downloads nearly doubled since we posted our call for ambassadors, but we're still a small team of ten. This made it all the more important for us to bring on ambassadors to help unite our growing worldwide community in person over food – just like Foodspotting was designed to do. It took some time, but, at last, we whittled a long list of qualified individuals down to ten. Please help us welcome these standouts who'll be repping Foodspotting from London to Seattle, and thanks to you guys for keeping us humble and hungry.

Pictured above, from left to right...

Philadelphia, PA: Alexis and Brian are two of our original eat-up organizers who started getting foodspotters together for World Foodspotting Day in January and haven't stopped since. They have hosted everything from picnics to hot dog crawls and afternoon tea gatherings to Sichuan feasts.

Orlando, FL: Julius is a photographer and social media consultant for mobile food companies in Orlando. We met Julius for the first time when he was in NYC earlier this year; he, like many of us, works his travel itinerary around good food he wants to eat. He's led eat-ups in Turkish restaurants to dim sum outings, and next he'll lead a German eat-up in time for Oktoberfest! Julius is a true inspiration for those who love to explore the world through different cuisines.

Washington, DC: Lisa is a multimedia pro and a runner who loves to cook. She's one of the sweetest people we've ever met via social media.

Las Vegas, NV: Manya is an interactive marketing pro and longtime friend of Foodspotting. She's one of our first users and has been an unofficial ambassador since the beginning!

Seattle, WA: Valentina is originally from Venezuela, but now lives in Seattle. She was one of the first foodspotters to weave her professional life as a food photographer into Foodspotting. Her vibrant personality is infectious.

Boulder, CO (and beyond): Spence is a triathlete, traveler and connector. Despite his accomplishments, he's incredibly down-to-earth and works with an organization that aids underprivileged kids. There are not enough words to describe how cool Spence is.

London, UK: Katherina is one of our newer users who just moved to London from Switzerland where she lived for three years. Her travel blog reminds us to take a holiday every now and then, and we're excited to follow along as she gets to know her new home city through Foodspotting!

Chicago, IL: Rosalyn helps to bring new products to life for a large food company! She just entered culinary school so she's working full time and learning to cook professionally. We admire Rosalyn's commitment to making food a part of her life everyday in every way.

Silicon Valley, CA Randy is kind of a big deal in the Foodspotting community. Though he's a busy professional in the health care field, he manages to make the time to upload all the incredible food he eats (3,780 dishes and counting), making him one of the most active members on our platform. Incredibly humble and friendly, we're lucky to welcome Randy as an ambassador officially.

Our new ambassador team shows that no matter how diverse our interests, backgrounds and experiences, we're all looking for something good to eat, which inevitably brings us closer to those we break bread with. We hope to continually grow our ambassador program so if you or someone you know would be a good fit, send them our way. We'll be profiling each ambassador individually in the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled for more Foodspotting stories, eat-ups, contests and other ways for you to get involved with our global family.

At Foodspotting we stand by the phrase "A picture says a thousand words," which is why our site and apps show you what's good around you rather than sharing wordy reviews. Since seeing is believing, we're excited to introduce our new project – a Foodspotting video series with yours truly!

In our first episode of Foodspotting with Amy we go searching for cookies using the Foodspotting app in NYC. Joining me was foodspotter and pro photographer Clay Williams. Watch the video to the end to learn about our Cookiepedia giveaway! To enter, spot cookies on Foodspotting and tag your sightings with #cookiespotting. Contest ends Wednesday, September 21st. Winners will be randomly chosen from eligible entries. US and Canada only.

We're just getting started, so let us know what dishes you want to see next.

Around this time of year every year, my mom calls to say "I'm going to Chinatown. Do you want any mooncake?" It's one of those things she asks again and again even though I remind her each time that the lotus seed paste gets stuck in my teeth and is a bit too sweet for my taste. Still, I love when she reminds me of Mid-Autumn Festival because that means there will be a full moon that evening!

Mid-Autumn Festival, which is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, is today. Traditionally, it's one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture where families get together to enjoy mooncakes filled with lotus seed paste and salted duck egg yolks (to symbolize the full moon). There are numerous interpretations, but the legend of eating mooncakes during Mid-Autumn Festival goes something like this...

At the end of Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368, a dynasty ruled by the Mongols), the Han people’s army wanted to overthrow Mongolian rule, so they planned an uprising. However, they had no way to inform every Han of the time of the uprising without being discovered by the Mongols.

Though I am not a fan of lotus seed paste, I marvel that mooncakes have endured as a cultural symbol that encourages togetherness, sharing and good eating. Click here to see where mooncakes have been spotted near you. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, everybody!

The history of Mid-Autumn Festival via source.

Ever wish you could turn on your favorite app – Foodspotting, of course! – and win a trip to Hawaii just for recommending the Mai Tai you're having? Well, you're in for a treat!

Starting today and ending on September 18th, if you spot one of many qualified Hawaii dishes, you'll be automatically entered to win a trip for two to experience the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival on the island of Oahu.

SPOT TO WIN
– 2 round trip coach airline tickets from the U.S. Mainland to Oahu and one compact rental car for duration of the stay courtesy of Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.
– 4 nights accommodations in an ocean view room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
– Admission for two to Mauka to Makai: Hawaii's Sustainable Future grand tasting event on Saturday, October 1st, part of the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.

THE RULES
Spot one of the dishes listed below. Each eligible foodspotting counts as a separate entry, so spot as many qualified dishes as you'd like to increase your chances of winning. Quality photos are encouraged as always and inaccurate sightings will be disqualified. The contest will end on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at midnight PT. Winner will be randomly selected from the pool of candidates. For legal reasons, the contest is only open to U.S. residents age 21 and older. For more details on the rules, click here.

ELIGIBLE DISHES INCLUDE...
– Hawaii is the only US State to grow chocolate, vanilla and coffee. Any dish or drink that is already a type of chocolate, vanilla or coffee qualifies.
– Kalua Pig or Kalua Pork
– Poi, Taro, Kalo
– Moi, Ahi, Mahi Mahi
– Poke (raw fish salad)
– Pineapple, Guava, Lilikoi, Coconut
– Mai Tai, Lava Flow, Piña Colada
– Plate Lunch (any type)
– Shaved Ice
– Macadamia Nut
– Saimin
– Fruit Punch

With Summer coming to a close, this is our attempt to extend the remaining sun-filled days for you. Happy spotting, and tell your friends about Foodspotting! As the people of Hawaii would say... Mahalo.

Photo courtesy of Hawaii Food & Wine Festival

As more restaurants adopt social media as a way to engage with customers, there have been a wave of chefs joining the online conversations too. One early adopter is star chef Mario Batali who recently joined Foodspotting, sharing his favorite dishes from Seattle, Italy, New York and San Francisco! With so much on his plate, we asked the chef, restaurateur and soon-to-be TV star what his loyal food-loving following can expect next...

FOODSPOTTING How does social media play into your role as a chef and business owner?

MARIO BATALI We are just beginning to understand the kinds of relationships we can develop with our fans and customers. Social media seems to be interesting tools to engage both staff and customers in a dialogue that feels very personal.

FS Tell us about some new projects you have on the horizon.

MB We opened Mozza in Newport Beach last week and we also recently opened Tarry Pizza in Westport Connecticut. We just celebrated Eataly's first birthday! Later this month, we are debuting a daytime talk show called The Chew at 1pm on September 26th on ABC and, not to mention, I have a new cookbook coming out called Molto Batali – Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours. As for new restaurants, we are looking to break ground in Istanbul and Shanghai before the end of the year.

FS What foods do you look for when you travel?

MB Anything and everything. Both dishes and ingredients that speak to me of the geo-specificity of their soil, people and traditional culture.

FS Where are some of your favorite places to travel? Where are you visiting next?

MB I love Italia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, the U.S. and the Caribbean. I love to travel, and China is probably next.

FS Tell us, what's next on the menu?

MB The fabulous awakening of the North African spring will lead to a boom in real North African flavors around the U.S. as we discover the delicious and mysterious world of flavors from Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and even Morocco, previously hidden from us by politics and separatism.

For dish recommendations straight from the chef, follow Mario Batali on Foodspotting.

As Summer winds down and we head into Autumn, we wanted to share a fun event waiting on the other side of Labor Day. From September 6th to the 13th, foodspotters in the Windy City will celebrate the first ever Foodspotting Week in collaboration with Atwood Cafe! This is the first time we're teaming up with a fab restaurant all week to showcase dishes and to share some amazing prizes. Check 'em out:

Spot a "perfect check" to earn 20% off that check. A perfect check = 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 side dish and 1 dessert. Impress friends with your inside Foodspotting knowledge; bring a date!
Spot the "secret dish" to win a $25 Atwood Cafe gift card.
Spot a perfect check and the secret dish to win dinner for two on your next visit.

In the event your sighting does not appear on Foodspotting until after you leave Atwood Cafe (some users prefer to spot with cameras and upload pics at home), we will connect you with the restaurant to redeem your discount or prize for use on your next visit.

Last but not least, please tell the restaurant staff you're there for Foodspotting Week. This way, they'll know why you're showing them awesome photos of dinner on your phone.

Make your reservation today and happy spotting! Can't wait to find out what the secret dish is.