Mark Bittman, Don't leave me!

I just read today in the New York Times that my favorite columnist, Mark Bittman, is ending The Minimalist. I'm not saying this in a way to make my husband jealous, but I love Mark Bittman. I've written about him here and here and his "How to Cook Everything" cookbook is my go-to cooking resource. I also have my own binder of recipes, which is bursting full of The Minimalist columns and recipes I've printed and collected over the years. Click here for a list of 25 of Mark's favorite columns

Here are a few quotes that jumped out at me as Mark discusses the end of his Minimalist column.

"The column’s goal, my job, has been to help make home cooking more accessible." I agree that he has done his job well. Mark Bittman, I will miss your clever and simple cooking ideas.

"One goal has always been to demonstrate that few recipes are dogma; they can all be tweaked. And learning to tweak is part of becoming a cook." Mark, this is why I love your style. I hate following recipes, because they feel so rigid. I love the way you always encourage me to be creative and use the ingredients I like and already have.

"I refused to buy into the notion that there was a “correct” way to prepare a given dish; rather, I tried to understand its spirit and duplicate that, no matter where I was cooking." All I can say here is Yes!

On the plus side, Mark Bittman isn't leaving the New York Times entirely. He's going to be writing a new weekly column on the politics of food, (another topic very dear to my heart). For all those who had no idea food, farming, and healthy eating was so political, I highly recommend Michael Pollen's book, In Defense of Food.

Mark Bittman, I will miss your weekly column, but I am glad it is not over between us.  I still have 13 years worth of archived columns to get through, and I'll always be a devoted follower of your cookbook.  I wish you the very best. 

Mark, we raise our batter bowls and measuring cups to you.