The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast: Past Present and Future [Hardcover]

Jeff Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1995

The popular cooking teacher, who is also a Methodist minister, demonstrates more than one hundred recipes that show new ways to cook with foods from the Bible, such as pomegranates, barley, saffron, hyssop, and spelt. 200,000 first printing. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Smith uses the Old and New Testaments as a wellspring for a creative cookbook of more than 100 recipes based on, for the most part, ingredients used in biblical times. Of course, as an ordained Methodist minister, he seizes on the opportunity to explain the use of food allegories and symbolism in the Bible and to bemoan contemporary Americans' lack of communal feasts and their reliance on packaged foods. That gentle sermon sparks his tenth culinary collection, centered on grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products and highlighted by only a handful of meat and poultry items. Although few dishes are truly new, many are appearing for the first time in a mass-market cookbook. Barbara Jacobs

Product Details

• Hardcover: 302 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (November 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688115683
• ISBN-13: 978-0688115685
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a history book more than a recipe book., January 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast: Past Present and Future (Hardcover)

Jeff Smith gives some incredible instruction on food history and what feasting means to humanity before he ever gets to the recipes in this book. I love how he moves from past to present. Food is so very social and this man communicates well how important a sense of community and dining are linked. Makes me yearn for more extended family meals that have significance. The way I think about entertaining is altered after reading this book. Give yourself some time, sit down with a cup of tea, and give this book a good read. It is much more than a collection of recipes.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, warm and delightful..., July 12, 2001

By 

"grit2002" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast: Past Present and Future (Hardcover)

...is how this so-much-more-than a cookbook cookbook reads. Beyond tasty recipes, I found Smith's reintroduction of the concept of meals a true inspiration. His lively Biblical interpretations, witty lines, and tender family annecdotes are truly enjoyable but not cloying. All readers, cooks or not, can benefit from and enjoy Smith's insight into the historical and metaphysical elements of sustenance.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "THE FRUGS" TEACHES AND COOKS WITHOUT BEING PREACHY!, June 2, 2008

By 

! MR. KNOW IT ALL ;-b "DR SHOCK" (TRI STATE AREA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast: Past Present and Future (Hardcover)

My title blurb say it all. This book is filled with great recipes, history and tradition! Jeff Smith spoke about interesting traditions and origins on his entertaining PBS show. Before 'The Food Network' we had the witty and talented 'Frugal Gourmet'. This book deals with some simplistic, yet very good classic family dishes. Nothing fancy, just great traditional family food! Something the world seems to be missing these days is time spent in the kitchen with the family preparing meals for "get together". Make time for this book, your family and friends! Even if your not a "religious" person these are words to live by.

This is yet another excellent cook book by Jeff Smith! It's full of great recipes and stories by a very talented cook and writer. This one focuses on old world cooking. I have used many of these recipes and found them to be very good. Being a home grown cook myself and having had many of my grandmother's classic recipes handed down to me, I found this book to be very helpful in expanding my culinary taste buds.

Jeff Smith entertained us for years on his PBS program 'The Frugal Gourmet'. Not only did he teach us many savory dishes, he also educated us. Not satisfied with just cooking delicious meals for his viewers, he would give detailed history lessons about the origins of the dish and made it all a lot of fun!

This may be Mr. Smiths best cook book and it is a worthy edition to everyone's cook book library. I own and have read many, if not all of his cook books, not only for the man's knowledge of cooking, but his incredible wit! This guy was funny and I would have loved to have hung out and throw a few beers down with him.

Unfortunately, this man had some very seriously bad press released about his personal life and well..... I am not one to spread rumors.....he seemed like a great guy and sadly he died before he was able to clear his name.

R.I.P. Frugs!