AllMovie

The Frugal Gourmet, with chef Jeff Smith, is an amazingly thorough video collection with over 80 episodes that include food recipes from around the world. In each episode, Smith demonstrates several simple but important recipes. After providing a history of sourdough, the Frugal Gourmet takes viewers on a field trip to the bakery. Back in the kitchen, he gives an easy to follow demonstration of how to create a basic sourdough starter, then makes Sourdough French Bread and Sourdough Biscuits. Smith not only cooks, but also discusses the theological and anthropological histories of the dishes he prepares. He brings humor and wide-ranging knowledge into the kitchen.