The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American by Chris Cart

The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American Reviews

• 
  megHan

  This is not the first time I have read this book. This is also not the first time that I have loved every minute of it.
  
  The backstory: My mom and I were discussing an Italian sausage she used to make when I was younger. (I may be a vegetarian - have been for a couple of years now - but I have always been a fan of this particular recipe.) She told me that it was from one of his cookbooks - and later that day bought this one and the Italian one (where the recipe was actually from). The package arrived just a few days later. I immediately opened the package - and once I had the book in my hands, I couldn't help but sit down and re-read this book. A few pages in, I sort of spaced out a little and remembered the first time I had read it, sitting on the floor in front of our many bookshelves that were stuffed with books in our old house. It was a good memory. I read about a third of the way through before someone knocked on the door (I'm sure I would have finished the entire thing if I hadn't had that distraction) and didn't get the chance to pick it up again until the day before yesterday. I sat down and didn't get back up until I was done.
  
  I guess the point of my story is that it's a really good book and if you haven't sat down and read any of his books, you definitely need to do so.
  
  I am a huge fan of cookbooks (being that I'm a purveyor of delectable fare and pulchritudinous confections, a chef without a kitchen) and if you are only using cookbooks for the recipes they contain, you are truly missing out. You can learn so much from them, so much more than just a good recipe that you remember many years later.
• 
  Caroline

  I bought this cookbook waaaay back when I was first married, shortly after it appeared in paperback. It was the first cookbook I ever sat down and actually read, like a fiction book. The descriptions of the various U.S. regions, their traditions, and their foods seemed to talk to me. I continue to return to this cookbook for several specific recipes, including and especially the Cincinnati Chili. After Mr. Smith's personal matters concluded his PBS show, I sold several all of his cookbooks (I think at one point I had them all) except this book and the Immigrant Ancestors book--I just couldn't part with them.
• 
  Sarah

  I made the chili powder out of this--it was really good, and surprisingly easy. I also made a variation on the chili recipe--that turned out to be one of the best I've had! I want to try some of the other recipes someday.
• 
  Saleris

  I hsve other books of his, and like his writing and taste.
• 
  Fredrick Danysh

  Jeff Smith presents a collection of traditional American recipes. Most are very easy to follow.
• 
  Mike

  I never really seen his tv shows but I do like his writing style. His recipes are simple and tasty.
• 
  Marcus Devin

  Hardback
• 
  Nancy Noyes-ward

  Very American!
• 
  Marian

  Can't beat a cook book with so much to say about Pumpkin, corn and sweet potatoes.
• 
  Jane

  There are some interesting basic recipes in this book, and some that are more difficult. But there are no photos of the finished dishes.
• 
  Lisa (Harmonybites)

  Boy, does this date me, but I can remember when the Frugal Gourmet was a popular cooking show on Public Television. I liked this cookbook because it's not a general cookbook, but American--American cuisine often getting buried in a general cookbook along with international dishes. Admittedly, it can be hard to tell the difference because we have borrowed so much from various cuisines. Sections include: The Native Americans (Southwest, Northwest, Plains), The Immigrants (The Colonies, Pennsylvania Dutch), The Frugal Ones (New England), Down South (New Orleans), Edible Comforts (American Breakfasts), The Heartland, Coastal Delights, The Grains, The Frontier. A lot of the recipes actually sound more exotic to me than that of dishes of foreign cuisines that have become old friends.
• 
  Amy the book-bat

  I remember watching The Frugal Gourmet on television as a kid. One thing I like about this cookbook is that it is as much a history book as a cookbook. Each section has a little bit of history about the topic being covered. There is also some history included within each recipe. All in all, I really enjoyed the memories and the history and I want to try some of the recipes.
• 
  Liz

  Organized by historical period then regions--there is commentary and some black and white line drawings. Well indexed but no temping color plates. Good follow-uo on PBS series.
• 
  Scott Andrews

  Forget the author's shortcomings and focus on the message.
  
  The recipes are simple. The stories are fun. E pluribus unum.
• 
  Christine

  Great recipes, easy to follow!