To me, a frugal kitchen will come down to two things: value of ingredients and your skill level. Of course, that deserves some elaboration. So, here is less a series of “tips”, but more how I tend to think when I’m shopping or in the kitchen. I’ve tried to break it up a bit with subheaders, but it’s still quite a ramble, for which I apologize.

True Value

The value of ingredients comes down to more than just their price. If price were the only factor, then the obvious choice would be the aforementioned instant noodles. Consuming nothing but bland carbohydrates, such as noodles, rice and bread, may be inexpensive, but it carries its own cost. It’s boring, for one, but also hard on the body. Foods that offer no nutrition, fiber or protein are not particularly satiating in any respect. Food that leaves me hungry isn’t really much of a bargain.

Seasonal, Local or Preserved

The flavor of foods and their nutritional density are very important things I look for when purchasing ingredients. This often means eating seasonally and, to a lesser extent, locally. The reason for this is that often “fresh” is a misnomer when it comes to produce. What that means to you will vary depending on where you live, because different foods are sourced in different climates at different times of the year. To me, that means it’s sometimes best to buy frozen or canned foods because they’re not only less expensive, but taste better and are better for you. I’d rather have a pantry full of canned tomatoes than buy “fresh” tomatoes in the winter, frozen peas outside of spring, frozen or canned corn outside of summer and so on. Most autumnal vegetables keep very well in root cellars, so squashes, potatoes and other root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, beets, etc. are usually pretty decent year round and don’t tend to vary in price much.

Apples, pears, oranges and bananas are the staple produce that are available year round here, shipped from other countries. I almost always have a selection of citrus in my fridge (oranges, lemons and limes) because they can be used in so many different contexts. Bananas are great when they’re ripe, but when they’re too ripe, they end up in the freezer for baking or smoothies. Apples and pears are mostly for snacking, but occasionally for pie or compote or whatever. Beyond that, I really don’t buy fruits outside of summer and fall, when they’re cheapest and at their peak flavor. I don’t see a point in buying fruit when it’s tripled in price and tastes sour and watery.

Buy in Bulk?

I don’t believe in bulk shopping for the sake of it and am very much an anti-hoarder when it comes to my pantry. Few things keep long enough to make bulk buying reasonable. Meat cuts purchased in bulk are often cheaper, but also poorly cut. A family “pak” of pork chops are often too thin with fragments of bone and lots of gristle. The best way to buy meat in bulk is to buy the animal and pay to have it butchered. I don’t have a freezer, so even splitting a hog is out of the question for me. As far as buying meat is concerned, I think the cheaper cuts of meat are often the most flavorful.

Buying from bulk instead of in bulk is usually my preference. This is how I buy olives, nuts, lentils and even popcorn kernels. The difference between buying these things in bulk and pre-packaged can be a significant difference in both price and quality. The best part about this is the places with the highest turnover not only generally have the lowest prices, but the best quality products.

Buying Meat and Seafood

Pork is always a favorite of mine, because even tenderloin doesn’t break the bank and the flavor of pork marries well with pretty much anything. Pork is the go-to meat for sausages, makes a superior rack of ribs and I love nothing more than a simple pork chop with crispy fat or a pulled pork sandwich. I almost always buy chickens whole, because a boneless, skinless chicken breast usually costs roughly the same price as a whole bird. The technique for fabricating (cutting apart) a chicken is relatively easy to learn, saves you a lot of money, and offers you several things that you don’t normally get with pre-cut meat. You get the bones, which you can use for a more flavorful and nutritious chicken stock than boullion cubes or canned broth, as well as the “oysters” and tenderloin of the chicken, which are often removed from the thigh and breast either through poor butchery or to be sold for a higher premium. The more flavorful cuts of beef are also the cheapest, for the most part, and I often drift toward flank and skirt steak if I’m in the mood for red meat, though a nice pot roast or stew now and then are lovely also. The smaller the fish is, the more likely it is to be less expensive and more sustainable, as well as contain less mercury. Mackerel, sardines, trout, salmon; fish that you can buy whole and carry home comfortably are generally the better option. Shellfish too has a season, but you don’t normally see shellfish “out of season” so it’s a non-issue. Mussels and clams can be surprisingly inexpensive and are incredibly easy to prepare. I always buy shrimp frozen and uncooked with the shell on and save the shells to use for fumet (fish stock).

Staples and Grains

Bread freezes well. Whenever loaves of bread drop in price I usually buy a couple and leave them in the freezer. I do occasionally enjoy baking my own bread, but store bought generally keeps fresher longer and have a much more desirable whole grain variety. I make exceptions to buying in bulk when it comes to staples, like flour, sugar, and even butter and eggs. I wait until the largest bag of flour or sugar goes on sale and then skip a workout by hauling a 20 kilogram bag home on my back. Butter keeps very well in the freezer and no matter how many dozen eggs I bring home, I always find a use for them in some form. The same rule applies for rice or pasta. I typically keep around at least one tube pasta (like penne), a thick noodle (like fettuccine), a thin noodle (spaghetti), farfalle (the bowties) and macaroni. Soft pastas, like gnocchi, ravioli or tortellini, I make from scratch using my bulk flour and egg purchases.

Frequency of Shopping

I shop frequently and as needed, which tends to reduce waste. It’s not practical to buy over a week worth of groceries at once and expect all of your produce to be optimal as time goes on. In general, we spend roughly $50-60 a week on groceries for the two of us. There is an occasional fluctuation here as certain condiments tend to disappear simultaneously. This is another factor where value is significantly dependent on factors other than price.

Buying on Sale

I almost exclusively buy non-perishable items when they’re on sale. Their quality does not diminish, so their value can only go up when you pay less for them. I often call the “sale” price of these items their “real” price because the non-sale price is usually so inflated it’s laughable. If, for example, a jar of mayonnaise typically goes for $7.49 and it suddenly drops to $2.50, I think $7.49 is a rip off, not $2.50 is a bargain. So, to me, $2.50 is the price of mayonnaise. I always have that in mind when I’m shopping. Instead of buying things when they’re on sale, I specifically don’t buy them if I’m getting ripped off. Every condiment I can think of right now that I keep at home goes on sale at least once a month, and none of these condiments I use up within a month’s time. So if I wasn’t keen enough to buy them when I was running low, I’m fine with waiting until they go on sale again within a week or two’s time. What products I buy and when I prefer “no name” products would make this even more lengthy than it’s already panning out to be, but if anyone is interested, simply comment and I can make a separate post about it later.

Flavorings

Spices and herbs are the backbone of a lot of dishes and I do not compromise. Spices should be purchased whole, as they lose their potency fairly quickly. Herbs should almost exclusively be purchased fresh (that is, not dried). Garlic, ginger and onion should always be bought fresh, not in powder. If the flavor of your dishes is dependent on these factors, you definitely do not want to skimp out, and often the price differentiation between excellent and horrible spices is, in my opinion, negligible considering the sacrifice. You can read more about this here.

Likewise, I don’t mind paying a premium for cheese. I will always buy pure Parmesano-Reggiano for $30 a kilo without even considering Kraft shredded “Parmesan”. The incomparable taste is certainly a major factor, because I don’t think any dish deserves to be punished and the most humble can be quickly boosted with the rich and nutty flavor of true Parmesan, but the Kraft stuff doesn’t even melt properly, which makes it useless in a lot of applications. The difference between a raw milk Gruyere and “Swiss” flavored slices, or a real aged cheddar compared to anything they sell in the dairy case, is worth whatever price you can afford. I think of cheese as a luxury, an occasional snack that I like to be a satisfying gustatory experience. Good cheese may cost more, but I eat significantly less of it. The same holds true for chocolate. Some things just aren’t worth compromising. I’d rather go without and wait than eat something so inferior.

Level of Kitchen Skill

Finally, your skill level ultimately determines how much use you can make out of what is available for the least amount of money. The more that you can make at home, the less you’re paying for processing rather than ingredients, which ultimately saves you money as well as making your meals more healthful. There are some exceptions to this, where the time invested in making things yourself simply doesn’t outweigh the cost of buying it already prepared. Crackers or granola bars fit into this category for me. They’re fun to make on occasion, but when I can buy 3 boxes for $5, I’m not really doing my pocketbook a favor by cracking out the mixing bowls.

Ultimately, the more you know about food and cooking, the more creative you can afford to be in the kitchen without potentially “ruining” what you have to cook with. As you grow more confident as a cook, “experimenting” no longer feels like this risky endeavor but just an expression of your creativity. As you explore different ethnic recipes and flavors and expand your mental repertoire and palate, a sale on fryer chickens can yield endless possibilities beyond “roasted”. Simply put, food is never boring if you can be inventive with what you have, which is the greatest lesson to be learned in the kitchen.

Limiting Waste

Certain ingredients have significantly more “trim loss” or waste than others. Buying and cooking whole artichokes can be expensive and time consuming, so maybe canned or frozen hearts is a better deal. But knowing how to make use of the “waste” so it isn’t wasted is ideal. Limp vegetables can almost always be pureed, or added with bones to become stock, or preserved in some way. If nothing else, if you have the luxury of gardening, most things can be composted.

Conclusion

Time is a factor for many people. The equipment you have also plays a factor in all of this, of course. No matter how skillful you are, you will be quickly undermined with a dull knife and a thin pan. Cooking tools are, of course, another subject entirely, and buying quality cookware is not an easy task on a budget. Year after year I’m still slowly accumulating things as they become available to me. However, the more you learn, the more you have available to you, the more you can step away from processed foods, giving yourself a more rewarding and healthy life, and hopefully, with the money you’ll save, you can afford to eat in better restaurants to offer new inspirations.

Now known as the trendy hot spot for brunch, after hearing so much praise come from so many sources, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check it out. Unfortunately we aren’t the only ones turned on to the idea and their space (the renovated location of the former Mile End bar) shares almost equal proportion of waiting area and tables. Our party of three arrived without a reservation, which is only available for groups of four or more, and were told there would be about a 20 minute wait for a table.

A reserved table not only holds up the flow of things while waiting for it to be filled, but a sense of ‘ownership’ of the table seems to allow those people a reason to linger far longer after they’ve finished. While two people seem to get seated fairly quickly with the turnover of couples at the smaller tables, arriving as a group of three will basically render you screwed as the only tables large enough to accommodate your group are also the ones consecutively reserved. We watched for over 45 minutes while tables would open up, be cleared and re-set, only to be snatched by reservations just walking in the door.

Annoying, to say the least, but it granted us a lengthy amount of time to admire the decor. Large windows let in the weekend sun that illuminates a papered wall decorated with the silhouettes of a thousand birds. The dimly lit dark woods and regal English plates served up on unbleached paper table coverings make it seem like a crossover between afternoon tea and time for a pint. A long stair case leads to a tiny landing featuring an ATM machine. The place is cash only at the moment, and unless you want your exercise, hit up the bank before visiting.

The hostess tried to make us comfortable by offering us coffee and tea while we waited, which certainly helped, but our party was getting a little impatient/teetering toward the ravenous side. Suddenly, my wife started to blush for no apparent reason, her expression changing from annoyed to ecstatic. Win Butler from The Arcade Fire walks in and sits at the bar, chatting up the barrista and ordering his usual breakfast. (Win, if you’re reading this, Shannon says hi!) I’ve never wanted to be famous before, but being able to walk in to The Sparrow and get served immediately would certainly be a perk. Note to self: get famous. After that, things started to pick up for us, as the group that was immediately before us in line had been seated, ordered, finished eating and cleared their table, that would eventually become our own.

We take our seats and I polish off a second cup of The Sparrow’s delicious coffee. It is apparently a special blend they buy from Union Cafe (148 Jean-Talon W.) here in Montreal. If anyone is interested, just ask for “The Sparrow blend” and they’ll hook you up.

The menu for The Sparrow is updated weekly on their website (read: facebook group) and sadly, did not feature the scones I’d heard raved about for so long. The girls tried the French toast with autumnal fruits ($13) and I tried the English breakfast ($14). Not to skip ahead too much, but Shannon and I just had to return after our first visit, and we tried the croissant ($4), banana and chocolate doughnuts ($4), sausage and egg roll ($10) and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs ($13) on this second occasion. Another standard seasonal fixture at the moment seems to be the deviled kidneys with arugula on toast ($13). There’s also currently a toasted brioche with scrambled eggs and white truffle option for $32 if you’re feeling luxurious.

Once fortunate enough to have a table, The Sparrow feels extremely well staffed with nearly a two to one ratio of tables to friendly and informed waitresses. I suck on a lump of sugar (at The Sparrow, you can literally take “one lump or two?” in your breakfast blend tea) as we make our aforementioned decisions, eagerly eying other diners’ plates as they pass by. Everything comes out of the kitchen consistently arranged and looking equally as delicious as the next.

The French toast with autumnal fruits is made from a rich house-baked brioche, sliced into three thick wedges and perfectly cooked. Lightly flavored with maple syrup and served with caramelized apples and a cranberry compote, along with a dollop of creme fraiche, this is really what French toast should be. In fact, that’s kind of what really sets The Sparrow apart in general. As soon as you start comparing any of the items to anywhere else, it’s clear that there is a great attention to detail here.

My English breakfast comes with a single fried egg atop two pieces of toasted rustic bread, bacon, a “banger” (sausage), boudin noir, baked beans and a hefty portion of bubble and squeak (boiled, then fried potatoes and cabbage). What makes this worth more than twice the price of your typical $5 breakfast special is the quality and care put into it. The bacon is two crisp slabs of pork belly that tastes of smoldering wood, the baked beans are perfectly cooked in a rich tomato broth hot from the stove, the sausage is tender and flavorful, and when’s the last time you had blood sausage at breakfast? It’s a large plate of food that kept me satisfied in all respects until dinner. It’s a beautiful thing.

The croissant and doughnuts feel a bit overpriced, though aren’t bad selections by any means. The croissant is light and flaky with a crisp exterior that we shared as sort of an appetizer for things to come, laden with a decent portion of butter and raspberry jam. Similarly, two doughnuts holes, though delicious morsels of banana batter revealing a gooey and luxurious chocolate ganache center, feel like a bit of a let down at $2 a Timbit, even if they are fresh from the deep-fryer. When all is said and done, it doesn’t seem to pack the same value as the rest of the meal.

The sausage and egg roll is presented as is on a large burger-style bun, bolstered by two fried eggs, lettuce, tomato and aged cheddar cheese. This is one hell of a breakfast sandwich. The sausage patty is fresh and perfectly seasoned, bits of yolk dribble on to the plate after every bite… it’s messy, but totally worth it. Shannon remarked: even the tomato tastes fresh. How is that possible? It’s November!

Finally, the scrambled eggs are a bit of revelation. I typically steer away from scrambled eggs in restaurants because places cook them to death. Scrambled eggs are often the breakfast choice for people who don’t like eggs. This is a scrambled egg dish for people that love eggs, pillowy morsels of fresh eggs adorned with creme fraiche and chives that all binds together in an almost spreadable, creamy consistency. It is served on top of two thick slices of toasted rustic bread with three generous portions of house smoked salmon on the side to add as you liken. It was the perfect amount to compliment every forkful that entered my mouth.

Upon receiving our bill we are presented with a card explaining that The Sparrow pledges a dollar from the proceeds of our meal to the Restaurants contre la Faim program and suggests we match the donation. We do. After finding such a level of contentment from breakfast, it just seems wrong not to help feed the hungry.

While the waiting was frustrating at the time, it almost seems irrelevant afterward. I’m even finding myself rationalizing it now as part of “The Sparrow experience”. Sit and wait, enjoy a coffee and the newspaper, then sit and eat. It’s like going to a cafe and a restaurant in one eating experience! Alright, while this may seem like a bit of a stretch, The Sparrow has really become our new favorite brunch location, and aside from the fact that it’ll likely make it harder for us to get a table, I urge you to check it out. Just remember: two are welcome, three’s a crowd, and four or more requires a reservation.