MORE ON COOKING

While I’m on the subject.

You want stupid advice? Here is stupid advice: “Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.”

That has got to be the worst advice in the history of cooking. The object of that advice is to keep you from being tempted to buy everything in the store. The assumption of that stupid advice is that you are stupid.

The result of that advice is that you buy bland food because you are not interested in food while you’re shopping. And then you cook bland meals. And then you are a bad cook.

But suppose you are on a budget. Isn’t that advice good then? Doesn’t it save you money?

If that’s your only aim, to save money, buy cabbage, beans and rice. Get some bullion cubes too for a meat flavor. That will give you many cheap, balanced meals.

Here is some good advice: “Always go shopping on an empty stomach.”

But suppose you are on a budget? (I’ll do some more on this subject later.)

Look in the bargain basement of the supermarket. You can often find refried beans. What the hell can you do with refried beans? Check in the canned meat section. There sometime are some cans of corned beef on sale. Then in the canned vegetables are some spiced, diced tomatoes.

There are the makings of a great casserole. I would add some cooked rice or a package of oriental noodles because I go crazy for bulk.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it, and I’m not hungry right now.