Two-timing Bittman
Before I had Bittman, I had Martha. For 10 years, I was a faithful subscriber to Martha Stewart Living, marveling over the simplicity of every Good Thing, coveting every other month’s collectibles (you can’t win them all), and cooking up her dinners in under an hour in under an hour. My favorite things to make–chocolate pots de creme, lemon-thyme chicken paillards, apricot-dijon chicken, and tomato tart. My favorite grilling marinades even came from Martha.
Then MSL hired Michael Boodro as the editor, and the magazine went immediately down the toilet. The Good Things became fussy and overly complex (doilies, really?), the recipes were unappetizing, and the home dec adopted the style of stuffy stereotypical WASP. I canceled my susbscription.
Then Bittman came into my life, filling the void of virtual cooking partner that Martha had left. The simple, step-by-step instructions reminded me of the best of Martha, but with even more of the whys and hows. The theme-and-variations approach helped me improve my general skill level. Once again, I discovered my passion for cooking.
But lately, I’ve been craving the slightly more complex Martha style of cooking. Maybe it’s from reading My Life in France and thinking about how Martha coached me through m first coq au vin. Maybe that dash of richness feels like an affordable treat during the recession-era austerity. Maybe it’s because it’s the closest I’ll get to the lovely summer homes she shows every issue, with the homemade decorations, rough-hewn dining tables, and palpable sense of comfort, family, and home.
The only answer is to make room for both in my life. So, today, cooking for a friend who is recovering from a nasty medical treatment, I am cooking Bittman:
- Hanoi Noodle Soup (or, as I like to call it, Faux Pho)
- Baked Ziti with Radicchio and Gorgonzola
- Peach and Ginger Pie (made as Pie Pops)
But tomorrow, I’m revisiting some Martha summer favorites:
- Tomato Tart
- Lemon-Thyme Chicken Paillards
The best of both worlds.
Filed under: How to Cook Everything, Inspired by Bittman | Leave a Comment
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