THIS JUST IN: Bittman does it again!

I wasn't really that familiar with Mark Bittman, a food journalist most recently for the New York Times, until I watched him eat and drink his way through Spain with Mario Batali via PBS.  It was an enjoyable and maddening series, maddening only because he got to be there instead of me.  Bittman has developed a really specific style, as embodied by his "Minimalist" cooking column - a bit of culinary simplicity in the world of truffle oil and $1000 chocolate gold-leafed desserts.

"Creamy, Brothy, Earthy, Hearty" is a nice, simple guide to throwing together a good pot of soup, based on your preference for main ingredients and style.  The article covers 12 quick and flexible recipes that you can adapt to your liking and/or pantry availability.  While there are hints of spring in the air here and there in the Northeast, winter is definitely still hanging on by a thread - make a big pot of soup and tell me about it!