Cuisine Economique

Jacques Pepin never fails me, but this book makes me feel somehow more closely connected to him than his other work. I suppose the philosophy of this book feels very true to his roots--seasonal cooking using good technique with a respect for the economics of a home cook, the way his mother probably cooked. I think America may finally be ready for this book--as more and more chefs tout seasonal ingredients, not just because they're cheaper but because they're BETTER, the American home cook may finally adopt what has been common sense for the French for centuries. It was common sense for Americans, too, until the entire processed food plague devastated our connection to nature and our food supply. Well, we're finally healing from that, and this book can be our salve. I agree that not all of the recipes are "cheap," but they do stretch good, high quality ingredients far, so they do tend to be cheaper per plate.

Since my first encounter with Jacques Pepin, I've loved his recipes and good sense. He taught me how to bone a chicken without wanting to run out of the kitchen, and he taught me how to make good dishes from economical cuts of meat. Some of the cuts of meat in this cookbook wouldn't necessarily be considered economical by some Americans, but there are still a lot of recipes that are hearty and cheap to make.