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. This episode covers all kinds of desserts, from Eight Treasures Rice Pudding to Halavah Cake to Roman Ricotta Pie. There's also Italian Chestnut Jam Cake, Sweet Almond Cream Soup, and Fried Custard. 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.