The Minimalist Makes his Exit: Mark Bittman no longer doing a weekly column

[lindsaybluth]

Story here.

It seems he wishes to shift his focus to the politics of food rather than the food itself. Which doesn’t become apparent till the last few paragraphs:

"In part, what I see as the continuing attack on good, sound eating and traditional farming in the United States is a political issue. I’ll be writing regularly about this in the opinion pages of The Times, and in a blog that begins next week. That’s one place to look for me from now on. The other is in The Times Magazine, where I’ll be writing a recipe column most Sundays beginning in March.

Part of my reasoning in going to the opinion section is to advocate, essentially, for eaters’ rights. But the response of good cooks, and those of us who write about cooking, must be to continue to look for ways to bring real food to all of our tables."

So he’s switching to The Times Magazine; if he’s doing a recipe column there, I’m not sure what’s going to really change.

I don’t like the increase in him on the opinion pages; I feel there are better people out there defending family farms and small scale food production than Bittman, like IMO the Westin A Price foundation. I always cringe when he gets sanctimonious about being a vegan before 6pm and his “eat a little, mostly plants” (paraphrased) stuff. I don’t like being told what to do; I do like some of his recipes though.

Thoughts?

[MilTan]

Isn’t the “eat a little, mostly plants” guy Michael Pollan?

[lindsaybluth]

:smack: yes indeed.

[friedo]

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

It’s not bad advice.

[Athena]

I’ll miss the Minimalist, definitely. He always makes me laugh, and I love his recipes. But still, I can see him wanting to do something else; he’s been doing the Minimalist for something like 13 years, and it’s gotta get old.

I’m assuming he’s keeping his site (www markbittman.com), so I guess I’ll have to suffice myself with that.