Eat Cheap but Eat Well by Charles Mattocks

Eat Cheap but Eat Well: the Poor Chef Cookbook by Charles Mattocks


My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The recipes in this cookbook seem doable and anything but bland. However, I think the only way they would qualify as cheap is if you first get the hang of shopping seasonally. You have to buy produce when it is cheapest and then find a recipe to go with it. I am in the habit of picking a recipe and then buying the ingredients, which will make these recipes much more expensive to recreate.

If you get this book, be sure to read the notes with each recipe. The author gives suggestions for ingredient substitutions that can make a difference in how much it will cost you to make each dish. This is a helpful additin for the truly frugal cook. I also agree with his philosophy that we don't need to eat quite as much meat as we do in this country.

The only reason I gave the book two stars is that I don't think my kids would eat most of the dishes in this book. For every recipe that my kids would love like French-toasted Chicken Sandwiches, there are plenty that my young ones wouldn't touch like Avocado-Pear Quesadillas. If you don't have kids or your kids have been raised on more exotic food than mine have, then you might want to give this cookbook a try.


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