Book Review Wednesday by Soph

The Thrifty Kitchen
by Suzanne Gibbs & Kate Gibbs (2009)

Review by Soph

Who doesn’t love cookbooks? With pictures that promise succulent roasts and berry tarts that glisten like sparkling jewels, there’s something about a good cookbook that oozes happiness and good times with friends.

What I don’t love, though, is how inaccessible many cookbook recipes are. Whether its obscure ingredients, complicated cooking steps or dishes that need more time to prepare than a busy weekday allows (honestly Neil, who has the time to stuff gourmet sausages or moosh their own olive tapenade?) too many books look pretty on the shelf, but fail to deliver when all you want is wholesome recipes that can feed a family.

This is why I highly recommend The Thrifty Kitchen by mother-daughter team Suzanne and Kate Gibbs. The book’s title pretty much sums up its content. Working on the premise that families want to save on the grocery bill without compromising on quality, the chapters deal with themes like “making meals from leftovers”, “dishes you can freeze”, “entertaining on a budget” and my personal favourite, “what to do with all those…” You can never have enough recipes for that box of tomatoes you bought on special, or that big bag of lemons from the backyard tree (and the chilled lemon sago pudding in this chapter is a real winner).

What I love about this book is its lack of pretension. In an age where celebrity chefs insist on cooking with flair and fancy ingredients that cost more than it would to feed a family of four, the Gibbs women deliver tasty and relatively healthy recipes that are very easy for anyone to replicate. The book is also full of tips on how to eliminate waste, such as making chutney out of leftover stone fruit or freezing big batches of bolognaise sauce in small portions for future meals. And just in case you’re a bit of a novice in the kitchen, it also includes information like how long different types of food last in the fridge, what types of dishes freeze well and idiot-proof baking instructions.

So go ahead - buy the book and try all the recipes. I assure you my copy is well worn with oil splatters, cake batter and thumbed down page corners. You won’t be disappointed, and neither will your bank balance.

Thanks, Soph! Check out Soph at the fountainside.