(From DCist contributor Angela Gaw)

With eGullet forum members lamenting the decline in the Post’s Wednesday food section (featuring a pathbreaking article this week on how to microwave leftovers), local foodies should be happy to hear that editorial changes in the Post’s food coverage are afoot. Having made her debut at the start of the new year, Judy Havemann officially assumed her permanent position as the Post’s food editor this week. A long-time staff writer for the Post, the archive of Havemann’s articles illustrate the author’s ability to tackle difficult local and national social issues, such as her series on welfare reform, by providing an articulate and balanced perspective — prior to the recent move, Havemann’s articles could be found in the Metro section of the Post. Although it remains to be seen how the Post’s Food section will change under Havemann’s direction, each Wednesday edition will be a surprise no less. A forum host from eGullet, who recently attended a lunch to welcome Havemann to the DC foodie community, reports the new editor’s vision for the Food section as

global in scope, reflecting a very different demographic in the Washington area than existed twenty years ago, and in keeping with the international importance of the newspaper as a whole

We at the DCist applaude this move — but hope it doesn’t include giving extensive coverage to restaurants outside the D.C. area. In the coming months, we anticipate the Food section to evolve into something more substantial than simply a placeholder for Tom Sietsema’s reviews. DCist welcomes Judy Havemann with open arms.