Guest Mark Bittman is one of the most successful food writers of all time. Over the past 30 years, he has penned over 17,000 recipes and countless books, including the How to Cook Everything series. He was also the lead food writer for the New York Times Magazine. Recently, he shifted gears to become a food academic and activist. His latest book is Animal Vegetable Junk, which gives a comprehensive tour of the history of food, and how it has impacted humanity and the environment. On the pod, Bittman shares how he broke into the food writing business, how he comes up with recipe ideas, and his concerns about and solutions for our not-so-nutritious national diet.