On Demand
Extreme Frugality
Thursday, February 19, 2009
W. Hodding Carter has spent years living beyond his means, now he’s trying to reign in his excessive habits. His efforts are the basis of his recurring series "Extreme Frugality" for Gourmet magazine.
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Nice follow-up to the beef segment-thanks!
Hodding, are you going to start hunting?
You can get 5 delicious dumplings for $1 in chinatown. A bag of lentils is 99 cents. A bag of flour is a few dollars and you can make bread and all kinds of tasty things. Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive!
There are many fine meals you can make inexpensively. For example, we had pork dumplings last night. The wrappers are made from flour and water. The filling from 3/4 lb of pork with some scallions. The dipping sauce includes soy and ginger. A side of bok choy would be nice if you can afford it. If not, roasted carrots are always terrific. Good luck!
Isn't living within your means what you are supposed to do?
Popcorn from an air popper is an inexpensive way to have something filling and healthy.
Do you ever eat roadkill? Deer should be plentiful in your area.
Odawalla didn't get good grades from a nutritionist when i bought one for her niece!
I grow some of my herbs in my window
chickens fed grass, bugs and kitchen scraps make eggs that are far superior to anything you can buy at the store
I lived in France as an au pair - in Courchevel - they were really frugal - he fixed all teh broken legs - she made sheets and cooked eggs - here's fr your kids - soft boil and eat by dipping french fries in them. Fruit juice was several citrus fruits in water with a little sugar - and they ate tripe etc. the eggs and fries was for dinner!
We love disposables - that's really a problem for earth creativity and mindset!
A cookbook called "More with Less" compiled by Mennonite missionaries has been circulating in the expat community for several decades - initially as a way for foreigners to learn to "cook from scratch" when living abroad - but I find myself using it here in the US because it's a wonderful explanation of how to best use what is most cheap and abundant on the earth.
Oh an dhow about bread and gravy? Beans on toast? The French use everything. "Nous sommes tres pratiques!" I heard, and Les femmes americaines sont gatés"
driving two hours round trip to buy dated food helps with food costs, but pollutes the enviroment...............
driving two hours round trip to buy dated food, saves on costs, but pollutes the universe...........
tip:
at north dumpling on essex street you can get thirty frozen veggie dumplings for five dollars and make them at home... there best if you boil them then fry them all though it does take a little work
good luck on your cheap eating
Hodding, I can relate! I really admire your candor, amazing. And doing something about your situation is heroic. I thought i'd curtailed my spending but because of Extreme Frugality I'm going to take a whole nother look. I'm also an ex Southerner who lived on Easy Street for way too long. I'd love to talk to you about financial education in the schools. They learn every detail about sex and drugs and zero about finances which 100% of them will have to deal with. What a gaping hole in their education. You and I are both poster children for what can happen.
All the best,
CP
p.s. Don't forget New Orleans red beans and rice; it's not Galatoire's....but what is!
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