January 29, 2024

Mark Bittman on Food: Sustainable to Suicidal

The story of humankind is usually told as one of technological innovation and economic influence—of arrowheads and atomic bombs, settlers and stock markets. But behind it all, there is an even more fundamental driver: Food. In Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, from Sustainable to Suicidal, trusted food authority Mark Bittman offers a panoramic view of how the frenzy for food has driven human history to some of its most catastrophic moments, from slavery and colonialism to famine and genocide—and to our current moment, wherein Big Food exacerbates climate change, plunders our planet, and sickens its people. “You can’t […]
May 10, 2023

Know How To Eat? This Book Makes It Easy

Shouldn’t “how to eat” be clear already? In a way, it is. Every animal knows how to eat, and only in humans (and the animals under their control) has this been perverted. In the last century or so, we’ve been led astray. And we’re so far from our origins that it’s proving hard to find our way back. Yet there’s nothing more important: Food is the fuel that runs every function of the complex human machine. It is the source of construction material for the growing bodies of children and all the replacements adult bodies require each day. What we […]
February 2, 2016

Mark Bittman Helps Us Improvise in the Kitchen

Kitchen Matrix is Mark Bittman’s latest book and, as always, it’s worth adding to your food library.In this unique book, Bittman takes the guesswork out of kitchen improvisation, demonstrating the galaxy of dishes that can be inspired by a single ingredient once you’ve unlocked its essential nature. The book is a result of his five-year New York Times “Eat” column and includes formulas, recipe generators and a plethora of ideas for both single ingredients (potatoes) and full dishes (pasta primavera).  “It always seemed like if you could cook one thing, you could cook five things, and if you could cook a […]