When I heard about the Frugal Foodie Cookbook I was intrigued. I love the idea that you can be a foodie, eat well, and well, watch your pennies at the same time. One of the authors of The Frugal Foodie Cookbook is Lara Starr. I was eager to find out more about her and her frugal foodie lifestyle. So here’s my interview with her and be sure to check out the book at www.vivaeditions.com and you can read more about Lara’s culinary adventures at http://frugalfoodiecookbook.blogspot.com

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Have you always been budget minded?
Lara Starr (LS)-Yes, I come from a long line of cheapskates. I’ve been working since I was 15 and I’ve always been careful with how I spend. I also like the thrill of the hunt of a bargain!

BSG-You’re a cookbook author, cake decorator. Have you always worked in the food industry?
LS-I’ve worked in marketing and publicity for most of my life, and was a cookbook publicist for several years. Being exposed to great food from great cooks and chefs was thrilling, and I began to learn a lot about food, cooking and eating. I’m very lucky to live in the Bay Area where I have access to amazing restaurants and markets.

BSG-What came first, the frugal foodie blog or cookbook? In fact, how did they come about?
LS-The book came first. I’d co-authored a cookbook 10 years ago, called The Party Girl Cookbook. That book literally came out the same month as my son, Max. I of course got immersed in caring for a baby and working, so a 2nd book took a backseat for a long time, but I stayed in touch with the folks who had published it. When I was laid off a colleague was starting the Viva Editions imprint and asked me to do The Frugal Foodie Cookbook. The time was definitely right – in those 10 years I’d gone from a Party Girl to a Frugal Foodie! I started the Blog to keep the fun going – new ideas and recipes and also the goings-on with the book. I also have a Facebook page for news on the book and links to ideas and recipes.

BSG-What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when they’re trying to save money on food?
LS-I think they get too focused on coupons. There are all of these stories out there about women who got $500 worth of groceries for $10 – but if you look in their cart, it’s probably full of stuff you wouldn’t want to eat – packaged, processed and promotional type items. I think that people also think they’re getting good deals at warehouse clubs, and you can get some amazing deals there – but when you factor in your membership fee and the little extras you put in your cart every time you go, it’s probably not netting you a lot of savings. Also – you can’t get everything there, so you also have to go to the regular grocery store. And in my experience, the more stores your and the more times you’re in stores, the more money you’ll spend.

BSG-What are some of the best bargain buys right now?
LS-I’ve noticed that eggs and butter have been much cheaper than they have been in the past – which is great because I love to bake and my family loves quiches and scrambled eggs.

BSG-You give cooking demonstrations, are people more interested in budget cooking these days?
LS-Definitely – we’ve all been hit by the economic downturn, and people are really into cooking more and more.

BSG-What are some of your favorite tips and hints for saving money on meals?
LS-My best tip is to make a menu every week and shop once a week for everything you need – and only what you need. Once you get in the habit, it’s really easy – and you never have that dreaded Wednesday at 5:30 when you’re on your way home from work “What the heck are we going to have for dinner?” – which makes expensive takeout really appealing. I also base a lot of meals on pasta and rice – they’re inexpensive, tasty, you can make a lot at once, and since I have a son who’s a picky eater, I know he’ll always eat plain rice or noodles.

BSG- Are there any foods that you think are considered budget buys but really aren’t?
LS-Nothing is a good bargain if it doesn’t taste good – and I think we all have some things we shouldn’t compromise on. I buy good bagels because the bargain ones are grody, I also only use real butter for baking. But I’m perfectly happy to drink really cheap wine.

BSG-Do you think meal planning is essential if you want to save money?
LS-See #7 – yes! I think it’s essential.

BSG-Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
LS-This is one of my favorite frugal recipes – it’s cheap, easy and everyone thinks you’re cool because not a lot of people make Biscotti. Enjoy!

Biscotti
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and grease well, or use a silpat.
Beat the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale, about 2 minutes.
Beat in the flour and baking soda and continue beating until blended. Mix in the almonds.
With floured hands, form half of the dough into a 12-inch log. Place on the baking sheet and press down to flatten to a width of about 3 inches. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake the cookie loaves for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on. Let the loaves cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove them to a cutting board.
Put the slices back on the cookie sheet, laying them on their sides. Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
Cookies will keep for about a week in an airtight container or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Makes 24 cookies.

Cashew Lemon Spice Variation
Add the zest of 1 lemon with the eggs and sugar
Replace the almonds with ¾ cup toasted, unsalted cashews
Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or pumpkin pie spice with the flour