Food bloggers get awfully testy when they hear the term “cheese sandwich blog.” It emerged a few years ago, when a writer in a national food magazine described food blogs as about as thrilling as “today I ate a cheese sandwich.” He has a point. Many bloggers still write mind-numbingly dull entries about their lives and food.

But many others write fascinating, award-winning material. Most of the bloggers don’t appear to be chefs. Some have readerships that magazines and newspapers could only dream about. Some have crossed into print, writing books and articles for magazines. One even has a movie contract. Some are especially good at having fun. At least two communities, in San Francisco and Paris, actually meet in person on occasion

As the medium grows, new food blogs arrive constantly. Today, some 1.2 million food blogs appear on the web, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. According to its survey, about 9 percent of today’s Internet users, mostly women, have created about 12 million blogs read by about 57 million people. The study estimates that 10 percent of all blogs focus on food.

That comes to 1.2 million food blogs, which sounds high. No on-line directory lists that many. Food Porn Watch, http://foodpornwatch.arrr.net/ lists a long record of clickable food blog addresses. Chef’s Blog Directory, http://www.chefsblogs.com/directory/index.php, also lists blogs by category.

No matter what the amount is, people take food blogs seriously. Agents and editors scan food blogs for the next book deal, freelance writer, or story idea. Public relations firms ask bloggers to write cookbook reviews and test recipes. Food & Wine’s website lists favorite posts of food bloggers on a weekly basis. Even established cookbook authors and print journalists have jumped in, looking for new audiences.

Food bloggers aren’t necessarily interested in the kind of writing that appears in newspapers, magazines, and cookbooks anyway. Most blogs break down into 3 main categories: