Sam Sifton Starts Food Advice Column For The New York Times

New York Times food editor Sam Sifton's job means he gets a lot of questions from readers looking for food and cooking advice, so he's decided to become a sort of culinary Dear Abby and run a monthly advice column in the New York Times.

Sifton writes that as the Times' food editor he receives about 270 emails a week "from people asking whether they can substitute anchovies for nutmeg." So he's decided to answer them. Sifton's new "Hey, Mr. Food Editor" column will run every month as part of the paper's monthly new Men's Style section. The new column will address reader questions about food, cooking, and recipes from men and "people who deal with men, who want men to cook or cook more or cook differently."

In the first installment, Sifton answered questions from readers who wanted to know if a steak should be grilled or pan-seared, what to cook for a date, and how to convince one's husband to stop dirtying every pan in the kitchen every time he cooks. Sifton said the steak could be prepared both ways, depending on the weather, recommended Chicken La Tulipe for the romantic, and said a cook who has to wash his own dishes will soon start using fewer of them.

Questions for the next installments can be submitted to Sifton at FoodEditor@nytimes.com.