Changes Afoot at Bon Appetit and the New York Times

Changes are afoot in the food publishing world. Yahoo reports that longtime New York Times columnist Mark Bittman is ending his column, "The Minimalist", after thirteen years. His last installment of the recipe column that spawned his "How to Cook Everything" books will run this Wednesday. On February 6 he'll move to the op-ed section where he'll cover food policy issues. At Bon Appetit, new editor-in-chief starts rebranding the magazine with an "edgy" ad campaign based on the phrase "bite me". Eater.com says the biting push begins on January 31.

Portland, Oregon - our capital of sustainable, local eats - has a sense of humor about itself! The New York Times gets the reactions of Portland food folk after Friday's premiere of "Portlandia", a sketch comedy show on IFC that pokes fun at the city's preciousness. Even the owner of the Gilt Club laughs about the portrayal of his restaurant, where patrons learn the names of the animals they're about to eat.

No one knows the name of the cow that became your Meximelt. Taco Bell's getting sued because they're beef isn't beefy enough. ABC 13 Action News in Las Vegas reports that a law firm in Alabama claims that the chain's ground beef has a higher percentage of fillers than beef. The firm doesn't want money; they just want Taco Bell to be more honest.

A Florida town's economic future hinges on a Red Lobster-Olive Garden hybrid. According to 13 News in Orlando, Florida, nearby Flagler County's unemployment rate was 15.7% in December. To bring jobs to the area, Florida-based Darden Restaurants is opening a restaurant that's a combination of Red Lobster and Olive Garden. People are lining up for jobs two weeks before they plan to accept applications.