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Introduction

On Frugality

In these modern times a lot of us are professionals, technicians, artists or consultants that work for ourselves; in other words, we have erratic cash flow.

Although short of cash from time to time, many of us spend a lot of money on food without getting much sustenance (or pleasure) out of it. We should all know how to make do in the kitchen.

Of course, if you do, the nutritional benefits that come of such complete control of diet are a bonus you can't set a price on.

Cooking at home means you won't enjoy the impersonal socializing of café life; but if you're lonely, invite someone to share a meal.

You cook, at home, just to suit your palate. This alone, is worth some sacrifice!

Even more of us, today, work from our homes. Well, many things can cook while you work. Having to get up and turn down the stew or something is a great break from the glow of your workstation or the mess on your bench.

Thrift is truly a virtue. Your mild asceticism will give you a little glow.

Being frugal doesn't mean that you have to buy low quality ingredients; the best of everything is often what's in season locally to start with. So many fruits and vegetables that are shipped long distances are unfortunately either bred to be staunch keepers, often at the expense of tenderness and flavour, picked green, so as to make it to market, and sprayed with a few antifungal and pesticidal solutions besides, to withstand the rigours of shipping.

Try to buy your dry beans pulses and grains from the shops that sell a lot of them; freshness counts. Beans more than a year old become difficult to cook.

In this modern world, people from everywhere live in your town; in many cultures life is unthinkable without fresh vegetables, so poke around ethnic neighbourhoods if all you see in your local shops are the same old tired hamburger trimmings.

Buy food in bulk and put it into jars with tight screw lids. Avoid plastic containers; it seems that even after all the assurances of the manufacturers, there is a good deal of migration of molecules into the foodstuffs, especially so if the contents are acidic.

Table of Contents

More Intro:

On Cookery | On the Board | Batterie de Cuisine | Keeping it Fresh | Keeping it Dried | On Nightshades | On Water | On Sourdough | On Pizza | Arthritis in the Kitchen |