Bitt' Bids Grub Fans Adieu

“To me the question was not, ‘Would I cook this as a native would?’ but rather, ‘How would a native cook this if he had my ingredients, my kitchen, my background?’ It’s obviously a different dish. But as Jacques Pépin once said to me, you never cook a recipe the same way twice, even if you try. I never maintained that my way of cooking was the ‘best’ way to cook, only that it’s a practical way to cook. (I’m lazy, I’m rushed, and I’m not all that skillful, and many people share those qualities.)”
 — Mark Bittman retires his recipe column, The Minimalist

today, after thirteen years in the Times’ dining section. He’s moving to the op-ed page, where he will advocate for eaters’ rights (more ketchup!), and take over the recipe page in the Sunday magazine.