From Publishers Weekly
Having tackled cooking with wine ( The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine ) and American food ( The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American ), TV chef and Methodist minister Smith now cheerfully brings ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman cookery down to earth. Much of his Herculean effort, however, turns up fare that appears relatively modern. And though the "Frug" enthusiastically talks history ("Caligula and Cleopatra used to drink expensive pearls crushed and dissolved in vinegar"), his view is unfailingly vernacular ("Those Romans must have had wild dinner parties!"). Characteristically, Smith goes out of his way to make food accessible, sometimes too much so: crushed potato chips garnish a Chinese fish salad, and MSG is an optional ingredient in many Hong Kong dishes. Unusual ingredients, cooking terms and techniques are ably covered, and the recipes themselves make entertaining reading, rollicking with such Smithisms as "cut a chicken wing into 3 logical pieces" and "the end result will just blow your socks off!" But cooking instructions can be sketchy: in a chicken stock recipe, straining and defatting techniques go unmentioned. Illustrations not seen by PW. First serial to Redbook; BOMC HomeStyle and Better Homes & Gardens Book Club main selections.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
For his latest TV series, the ever-popular Frugal Gourmet focuses on the cuisines he feels most influenced the development of Western cooking. Here are some 400 recipes for Chinese (he finds the food in today's Hong Kong better than that of mainland China), Greek, and Italian dishes. Some are updated versions of ancient dishes, but many seem merely to be typical contemporary food from the three countries; few are complicated to prepare. Smith's vast audience ensures wide demand. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/89.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
