Frugal Gourmet Whole Family Cookbook

by Jeff Smith, Chris Cart

A collection of recipes for dishes aimed to please every member of the family discusses kitchen design, safety, and equipment and offers recipes that keep in mind the practical needs of an aging population. Reprint.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, Food

405 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1992

About the author

Jeffrey L. Smith was the author of a dozen best-selling cookbooks and the host of The Frugal Gourmet, a popular American cooking show.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See authors with similar names.

Reviews

[Aprilleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book for a relatively new cook who wants to try some new recipes, but there are numerous volumes I would recommend before this one. America's Test Kitchen has wonderful cookbooks, both general and themed, and even some aimed specifically at children. These have the advantage of numerous tips and advice about both the ingredients and cooking methods alongside each recipe. This book, on the other hand, provides some advice collected at the beginning which makes it easy to forget when following a specific recipe. Not a problem if you already know this stuff, but if you already know all of this you most likely don't need this cookbook.

It also fails to truly reflect modern cooking, and did so at the time it was published as well, with a chapter on soda fountains and one on microwaves as an afterthought. I use my microwave much the same way he does, but that doesn't mean including a few recipes for the microwave makes this in any way a modern cookbook. A chapter covering things you could make in a slow-cooker would have been more appropriate for the time this was written, and maybe even one covering the efficient use of a food processor. Pressure cooking hadn't made a comeback yet at the time this was written and I think smoothies were only just beginning to take off, but everyone I knew had a crockpot (except my grandmother).

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of recipes from Jeff Smith's cooking show on television. They have been crafted for modern tastes and are easy to follow. There is also a glossary of ingredients and condiments.

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

chicken thighs with yogurt and onions (p. 173) is one of my favorite recipes ever.