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The Poorcraft Cookbook
The Poorcraft series is the essential comic book guide to practical urban and suburban frugality! Whether you're new to independent living, a recent college graduate, or just downshifting to a simpler lifestyle, Poorcraft comics can help you with everything from finding a home to finding a hobby, dinner to debt relief, education to entertainment.
We’ve shown you how to live better, travel better, and now . . . learn how to eat better on the cheap with THE POORCRAFT COOKBOOK. This comprehensive guide features tips and tricks for vegetarian and vegan meals, cocktails, budget food shopping, kitchen equipment ideas, and loads of delightfully illustrated recipes from around the world.
We’ve shown you how to live better, travel better, and now . . . learn how to eat better on the cheap with THE POORCRAFT COOKBOOK. This comprehensive guide features tips and tricks for vegetarian and vegan meals, cocktails, budget food shopping, kitchen equipment ideas, and loads of delightfully illustrated recipes from around the world.
228 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 10, 2021
Lovely book full of advice on collecting the basics for your kitchen on a budget, backed up with a varied set of recipes.
It's all told in comic form, with two bendy armed and legged cartoon characters exploring the budget cookery world, quite beautifully drawn.
I was impressed by the breadth of information and recipes given, a very varied collection. There's also information on creating your own spiceblends, and practical things like how to best make coffee.
It is positioned as a good gift for a student starting out, but I can see this being useful for anyone.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
It's all told in comic form, with two bendy armed and legged cartoon characters exploring the budget cookery world, quite beautifully drawn.
I was impressed by the breadth of information and recipes given, a very varied collection. There's also information on creating your own spiceblends, and practical things like how to best make coffee.
It is positioned as a good gift for a student starting out, but I can see this being useful for anyone.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
November 2, 2021
This is all pretty handy stuff, especially since I'm reading this during my time when I need to know the best prices to get groceries. Plus all of the recipes are nice, but the book encourages things based on people's moods. The old timey cartoon aesthetic is a nice touch, it makes this whole process feel timeless.
December 7, 2021
Hmmm... I thought this would have characters, but introducing recipes, food tips and advice for the down at wallet in an integrated way. Instead, the "adorable characters" (sic) yack on and on while they parade themselves noisily from one food store to another, and all we're really supposed to learn is heralded by a "see notes for more" footnote. So much for the graphic novel as being uniquely placed to be educational.
All this yack does act as preamble, however, for the recipe section, which thankfully is the greater chunk of proceedings. Here the yacking is dialled down to a sensible, proper voice-over as per a regular cookbook, and giving instructions as we would want (even if the promised notes are still being called for). If anything, however, things are too basic – something Mexican and a 'Dutch baby' (very much a term not used here in Britain) demanded I be told what I was letting myself in for, but there is no clue at the start as to what the dish is supposed to end up as. Bit of a priority, I'd've thought.
This isn't terrible, despite my loathing for the opening chunk. At least it doesn't talk down to people, but treats the beginner as an expert-in-waiting and behaves encouragingly. It expects you to have heard about batch cooking, and also brings to mind the question of what we'd want to cook and eat, before we fill the freezer with ten gallons of broccoli soup we can barely stand. I'd be surprised if the format is really helpful here – not many are the recipe books that scare you off, wanting a different approach entirely, and this is definitely not that different an approach anyway. But if it's of help, then all power to it. I can't really go much beyond three stars, however.
All this yack does act as preamble, however, for the recipe section, which thankfully is the greater chunk of proceedings. Here the yacking is dialled down to a sensible, proper voice-over as per a regular cookbook, and giving instructions as we would want (even if the promised notes are still being called for). If anything, however, things are too basic – something Mexican and a 'Dutch baby' (very much a term not used here in Britain) demanded I be told what I was letting myself in for, but there is no clue at the start as to what the dish is supposed to end up as. Bit of a priority, I'd've thought.
This isn't terrible, despite my loathing for the opening chunk. At least it doesn't talk down to people, but treats the beginner as an expert-in-waiting and behaves encouragingly. It expects you to have heard about batch cooking, and also brings to mind the question of what we'd want to cook and eat, before we fill the freezer with ten gallons of broccoli soup we can barely stand. I'd be surprised if the format is really helpful here – not many are the recipe books that scare you off, wanting a different approach entirely, and this is definitely not that different an approach anyway. But if it's of help, then all power to it. I can't really go much beyond three stars, however.
July 25, 2025
Full disclosure: I read this when the digital* version was released, but I have a special hardcover spiral-bound version that I don't feel like going through the hoops to add (and had been waiting to properly review until it was added but then decided to stop waiting). The spiral-bound version is *probably* the superior version, since it will stay open when you're reading along while cooking, but I can't really vouch for that 100% since I don't have the paperback to compare. The prior Poorcraft titles are really good print quality, but the spiral-bound print quality is admittedly *slightly* worse, as I can faintly see jaggies from the lower-resolution or "print-on-demand" manufacturing process.
Does the paperback version of THIS book have the same issue? I don't know, haven't seen it. So, can't vouch for the quality. Doesn't change the fact that the spiral binding makes it much more useful in the kitchen. I suppose the e-book version works for this, too, but I've also just looked up recipes online and became thoroughly annoyed every time my screen started to dim. (I could change the settings so it wouldn't, I guess, but I don't really want to.)
That said, I do like this but can't vouch for the quality of the recipes, which I haven't tried at ALL except on accident—the scrambled eggs (one of the simplest recipes) end up being almost exactly how I make them anyway, and Penny's quick leftover rice dish is basically the one from Silver Spoon (rice + raw egg + soy sauce/seasonings). I guess I've done stir fry, also, but that's fairly basic.
I will probably try the tofu bacon, though.
Recommended for POOR folks wanting to eat cheaply AND better! A great variety of foods to try on a budget (even if I've admittedly not heard of many of them, oops).
*Goodreads always lists "Kindle" as the default "e-book" edition, but it's a basic PDF. You don't need a Kindle to read it.
Update: The tofu bacon... was not quite a success, haha. Couple of things:
- wasn't really sure how the "freeze then defrost" step worked, so I maybe defrosted it too long? tofu broke apart when I tried the "shake" step
- instructions specifically said to put the tofu in first but did not note to mix the marinade ingredients together separately before adding to the tofu, maybe should have done that
- unrelated to tofu bacon: tried the "don't soak but put the pot [or, dutch oven] back on with some water and boil it" with mixed results, the food on the sides came off quickly but the bottom was burned on, so MORE burning didn't really help... so it's soaking, haha
Not going to deduct anything, just noting that like with any recipes, experience will add more than what's presented. Possibly I should just cook more, but I'd already been through that phase when this interested me a lot more than it does now, so I really prefer just having food to stop being hungry.
Does the paperback version of THIS book have the same issue? I don't know, haven't seen it. So, can't vouch for the quality. Doesn't change the fact that the spiral binding makes it much more useful in the kitchen. I suppose the e-book version works for this, too, but I've also just looked up recipes online and became thoroughly annoyed every time my screen started to dim. (I could change the settings so it wouldn't, I guess, but I don't really want to.)
That said, I do like this but can't vouch for the quality of the recipes, which I haven't tried at ALL except on accident—the scrambled eggs (one of the simplest recipes) end up being almost exactly how I make them anyway, and Penny's quick leftover rice dish is basically the one from Silver Spoon (rice + raw egg + soy sauce/seasonings). I guess I've done stir fry, also, but that's fairly basic.
I will probably try the tofu bacon, though.
Recommended for POOR folks wanting to eat cheaply AND better! A great variety of foods to try on a budget (even if I've admittedly not heard of many of them, oops).
*Goodreads always lists "Kindle" as the default "e-book" edition, but it's a basic PDF. You don't need a Kindle to read it.
Update: The tofu bacon... was not quite a success, haha. Couple of things:
- wasn't really sure how the "freeze then defrost" step worked, so I maybe defrosted it too long? tofu broke apart when I tried the "shake" step
- instructions specifically said to put the tofu in first but did not note to mix the marinade ingredients together separately before adding to the tofu, maybe should have done that
- unrelated to tofu bacon: tried the "don't soak but put the pot [or, dutch oven] back on with some water and boil it" with mixed results, the food on the sides came off quickly but the bottom was burned on, so MORE burning didn't really help... so it's soaking, haha
Not going to deduct anything, just noting that like with any recipes, experience will add more than what's presented. Possibly I should just cook more, but I'd already been through that phase when this interested me a lot more than it does now, so I really prefer just having food to stop being hungry.
April 8, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Poorcraft Cookbook is a wonderfully illustrated guide to improving food security, decreasing packaging and waste, and shopping in bulk locally on a budget. Released 29th March 2022 by Iron Circus Comics, it's 228 pages and is available in paperback and ebook/comiXology formats.
There are three volumes in this series at this point and all are accessible, appealing, and upbeat resources for improving lifestyle, decreasing consumption, downsizing, and simplifying on a budget. This volume contains lots of tips for shopping on a budget, meal planning, vegan and vegetarian tips, and living well and simply in an urban/suburban area.
The author/illustrator, Nero Villagallos O'Reilly (website contains mature content), writes accessibly and well about the subject. The format is told in panel format with energetic and whimsical B&W pen and ink line drawings. Most of the book is taken up with shopping (smart cooking starts in the store!), but there are a number of well illustrated recipes for soups, cocktails, staples (DIY tofu & kimchi) and a lot more.
It's not haute cuisine, it's not for fancy company or special dinners. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, as well as for folks newly living on their own (students, newly fledged adults, etc) as the recipes are beginner friendly and require little in the way of exotic ingredients or tools/supplies. Many areas in the world are experiencing supply issues and gaining competence and food security has a strongly net positive benefit on our mental and physical health and well being. This is a niche book, but it's an important book.
Four stars, mostly due to lack of table of contents and index. It's possible those will be included in the release copy, but they were not indicated in the eARC provided for review.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Poorcraft Cookbook is a wonderfully illustrated guide to improving food security, decreasing packaging and waste, and shopping in bulk locally on a budget. Released 29th March 2022 by Iron Circus Comics, it's 228 pages and is available in paperback and ebook/comiXology formats.
There are three volumes in this series at this point and all are accessible, appealing, and upbeat resources for improving lifestyle, decreasing consumption, downsizing, and simplifying on a budget. This volume contains lots of tips for shopping on a budget, meal planning, vegan and vegetarian tips, and living well and simply in an urban/suburban area.
The author/illustrator, Nero Villagallos O'Reilly (website contains mature content), writes accessibly and well about the subject. The format is told in panel format with energetic and whimsical B&W pen and ink line drawings. Most of the book is taken up with shopping (smart cooking starts in the store!), but there are a number of well illustrated recipes for soups, cocktails, staples (DIY tofu & kimchi) and a lot more.
It's not haute cuisine, it's not for fancy company or special dinners. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, as well as for folks newly living on their own (students, newly fledged adults, etc) as the recipes are beginner friendly and require little in the way of exotic ingredients or tools/supplies. Many areas in the world are experiencing supply issues and gaining competence and food security has a strongly net positive benefit on our mental and physical health and well being. This is a niche book, but it's an important book.
Four stars, mostly due to lack of table of contents and index. It's possible those will be included in the release copy, but they were not indicated in the eARC provided for review.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
June 28, 2022
THANK YOU to Iron Circus Comics & NetGalley for this ARC. All reviews are honest reflections of my own opinion, always.
Grocery budgeting & how to shop, plus healthy cooking, setting up & maintaining a kitchen... these are often things we aren't taught before living on our own. Enter this comic with its wit & wisdom.
Featuring valuable lessons of all things related to the kitchen, this book starts with setting up your space in an efficient way, including saying no to all those gizmos & gadgets that are so unnecessary to real life cooking. The comic also includes some truly handy tips on where & how to shop for groceries (& kitchen tools) to get the most out of your budget.
Following practical advice & applications for the new home cook, there is a vast array of delicious recipes ranging from the familiar to the new, including dishes from various countries. The recipes are fairly straight forward, but I would say some require a bit of know-how in the kitchen & may be a challenge for the target audience for this book. The dishes include mains, sides, even some desserts.
I enjoyed the comic format of this book. The beginning of the book is chock full of real life practical tips that I found pretty useful, the recipe selection is excellent, but I wouldn't call them budget friendly.
With a lot of recipes calling for many ingredients, and some taking hours to prepare, it's sometimes much less economical than creating more basic meals with ingredients that can be used in other recipes, in a more timely manner. The book *does* cover the issue of time constraints & makes the very useful assertion that if you're going to spend extra money, make it on spices, which can elevate many dishes to another level. (I recommend the general Tso's tofu, paired with a side of fluffy rice & miso soup.)
In all, a great book for those who have found themselves responsible for their own kitchen.
Grocery budgeting & how to shop, plus healthy cooking, setting up & maintaining a kitchen... these are often things we aren't taught before living on our own. Enter this comic with its wit & wisdom.
Featuring valuable lessons of all things related to the kitchen, this book starts with setting up your space in an efficient way, including saying no to all those gizmos & gadgets that are so unnecessary to real life cooking. The comic also includes some truly handy tips on where & how to shop for groceries (& kitchen tools) to get the most out of your budget.
Following practical advice & applications for the new home cook, there is a vast array of delicious recipes ranging from the familiar to the new, including dishes from various countries. The recipes are fairly straight forward, but I would say some require a bit of know-how in the kitchen & may be a challenge for the target audience for this book. The dishes include mains, sides, even some desserts.
I enjoyed the comic format of this book. The beginning of the book is chock full of real life practical tips that I found pretty useful, the recipe selection is excellent, but I wouldn't call them budget friendly.
With a lot of recipes calling for many ingredients, and some taking hours to prepare, it's sometimes much less economical than creating more basic meals with ingredients that can be used in other recipes, in a more timely manner. The book *does* cover the issue of time constraints & makes the very useful assertion that if you're going to spend extra money, make it on spices, which can elevate many dishes to another level. (I recommend the general Tso's tofu, paired with a side of fluffy rice & miso soup.)
In all, a great book for those who have found themselves responsible for their own kitchen.
July 13, 2025
I'm not as excited about the digital edition (I'm not sure why Goodreads calls all e-books "Kindle" editions) as the physical version, mostly because I don't read e-books in general since the files are so large, I can't really bookmark where I was and have to manually note where I stopped, I have much less of an idea of how long the book is and how much is left in it, the e-books I *do* get are usually ENORMOUS, etc.
This copy is also just lower-quality,* with lots of artefacting:
Otherwise, the content is exactly the same as the physical version, with all the benefits from reading an e-book over a physical copy (which I can't really list since I prefer physical books, but you do you).
*I note that my file says it's a "reduced" copy, so while I don't remember if this was an early release for crowdfunding backers or if the current copy available in the Iron Circus store is a better version, I can only review the copy I have. Sure, I *could* buy it AGAIN to see, but I'm not really inclined, since I already buy SO MANY BOOKS as is and cycle through the physical ones fairly quickly while I have barely touched my e-books, haha.
This copy is also just lower-quality,* with lots of artefacting:
Otherwise, the content is exactly the same as the physical version, with all the benefits from reading an e-book over a physical copy (which I can't really list since I prefer physical books, but you do you).
*I note that my file says it's a "reduced" copy, so while I don't remember if this was an early release for crowdfunding backers or if the current copy available in the Iron Circus store is a better version, I can only review the copy I have. Sure, I *could* buy it AGAIN to see, but I'm not really inclined, since I already buy SO MANY BOOKS as is and cycle through the physical ones fairly quickly while I have barely touched my e-books, haha.
August 10, 2022
Poorcraft is a lovely little series about how to live with little, and oof. Don't we all need that right now? Book 1 was about financial literacy and getting out of the hole, book 2 was how to enjoy yourself and vacation on a budget, and book 3 is dedicated to one of the most satisfying (and time-consuming) daily activities: cooking and EATING!
About 70 pages of the book are food-related advice. This covers a pretty big array of topics, though, not just cooking! First is shopping, with a focus on basic spices, staple ingredients, and tools to build your pantry. Different types of grocery stores are listed and given pros and cons. Kitchen cleaning, tool maintenance, and proper food storage round out the lessons. I'm actually pretty impressed with all that gets covered in so few pages. I feel like most pure TEXT cookbooks would wax on longer than 70 pages, but this gives it so fast you can be done with your cooking into in under 30 minutes.
The rest of the book, you'll take more time on, because it's 150 pages of recipes. These are pretty much all one-page recipes, and the header includes how much hands-on time and hands-off time (simmering, baking, whatever doesn't require your attention), so you can know if something fits into your schedule. There's also recipes for basic sauces (like BBQ, teriyaki, bechamel, and even pizza sauce) and some alcohol mixers.
This would be a great gift for someone just setting out on their own, whether their budget is tight or not! If you DO plan on giving it as a gift, I recommending reading the intro, first, and including some of the setup items and foods as part of the gift. Especially a good rice cooker! Gotta love a good rice cooker.
About 70 pages of the book are food-related advice. This covers a pretty big array of topics, though, not just cooking! First is shopping, with a focus on basic spices, staple ingredients, and tools to build your pantry. Different types of grocery stores are listed and given pros and cons. Kitchen cleaning, tool maintenance, and proper food storage round out the lessons. I'm actually pretty impressed with all that gets covered in so few pages. I feel like most pure TEXT cookbooks would wax on longer than 70 pages, but this gives it so fast you can be done with your cooking into in under 30 minutes.
The rest of the book, you'll take more time on, because it's 150 pages of recipes. These are pretty much all one-page recipes, and the header includes how much hands-on time and hands-off time (simmering, baking, whatever doesn't require your attention), so you can know if something fits into your schedule. There's also recipes for basic sauces (like BBQ, teriyaki, bechamel, and even pizza sauce) and some alcohol mixers.
This would be a great gift for someone just setting out on their own, whether their budget is tight or not! If you DO plan on giving it as a gift, I recommending reading the intro, first, and including some of the setup items and foods as part of the gift. Especially a good rice cooker! Gotta love a good rice cooker.
July 17, 2022
This is the perfect cookbook for a young adult just starting out on their own!
It contains a surprisingly wide breadth of information on not only cooking but on grocery shopping, cleaning, and much more. Not only does this book have a bunch of staple recipes to help a new cook get a handle on the basics, it also has a lot of other fun recipes to expand someone’s ability. It is definitely useful to new cooks or those cooking on a budget, but it definitely does not have to be limited to it because the recipes it contains are still good for even the most practiced cook.
The bonus of this book is also that it is written to be read. Unlike the standard cookbook where your tendency is to skip past all the intro and pantry details to jump to the recipes, this cookbook doubles as a graphic novel story. It walks you through the basics of cooking, shopping, and cleaning without it feeling tedious or overwhelming. While some may not enjoy the graphic novel style, in many ways, I find that it makes this book feel more accessible and fun and less like a textbook you need to memorize.
All that to say, this is a great cookbook that I definitely recommend! While it’s perfect for young adults just getting started on their own, it is not limited to that.
Special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an online copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It contains a surprisingly wide breadth of information on not only cooking but on grocery shopping, cleaning, and much more. Not only does this book have a bunch of staple recipes to help a new cook get a handle on the basics, it also has a lot of other fun recipes to expand someone’s ability. It is definitely useful to new cooks or those cooking on a budget, but it definitely does not have to be limited to it because the recipes it contains are still good for even the most practiced cook.
The bonus of this book is also that it is written to be read. Unlike the standard cookbook where your tendency is to skip past all the intro and pantry details to jump to the recipes, this cookbook doubles as a graphic novel story. It walks you through the basics of cooking, shopping, and cleaning without it feeling tedious or overwhelming. While some may not enjoy the graphic novel style, in many ways, I find that it makes this book feel more accessible and fun and less like a textbook you need to memorize.
All that to say, this is a great cookbook that I definitely recommend! While it’s perfect for young adults just getting started on their own, it is not limited to that.
Special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an online copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2022
** I received an advance digital copy through Edelweiss, because I am a librarian and librarians are awesome**
Full disclosure: I did not read through all of the recipes in this book, and I cannot attest to their utility or deliciousness. However, I did very much enjoy the kitchen tips and can imagine this being a perfect gift for a college student or any person setting out on their own. Or perhaps even for grown-up people who think they know how to manage food planning. Like, I'm over 40 years old and this book taught me about the distinctions between different types of organic labeling. Dude, I wanted to give this to my equally-old husband (he who has a penchant for buying unitaskers, never puts the produce in the produce drawers, and always leaves dishes to grow bacteria in the sink).
This was my first introduction to the Poorcraft series, and I gotta say, based on this one, I'm 100% on board with their message. I love books with an emphasis on the practical, and the graphic novel format means it's going to be easily accessible to a wide range of people, especially young people. What's not to like?
Full disclosure: I did not read through all of the recipes in this book, and I cannot attest to their utility or deliciousness. However, I did very much enjoy the kitchen tips and can imagine this being a perfect gift for a college student or any person setting out on their own. Or perhaps even for grown-up people who think they know how to manage food planning. Like, I'm over 40 years old and this book taught me about the distinctions between different types of organic labeling. Dude, I wanted to give this to my equally-old husband (he who has a penchant for buying unitaskers, never puts the produce in the produce drawers, and always leaves dishes to grow bacteria in the sink).
This was my first introduction to the Poorcraft series, and I gotta say, based on this one, I'm 100% on board with their message. I love books with an emphasis on the practical, and the graphic novel format means it's going to be easily accessible to a wide range of people, especially young people. What's not to like?
February 22, 2022
I saw a review for The Poorcraft Cookbook by Nero Villagallos O’Reilly on the MarySue Blog. It looked interested, so I decided to check it out. The illustrations remind me of an old cartoon and bring to mind depression era frugality, but it is set in modern times. There are descriptions on stores to shop at to stretch your dollar like dollar stores and outlets for your food and equipment supplies. Also, tips on the best way to organize everything when you get it home. What surprised me was most of the recipes used alternatives to traditional proteins. That intrigued me because of how hard it is to find a pack of chicken at the grocer right now. However, eating on a budget with these recipes doesn’t really mix well if you have food adversions. Many of the recipes use eggs as the main protein and that is something that is just a no in my book (exceptions made for chocolate cake). I am also curious on where fresh tuna is considered a cheap purchase…overall, the tips were good. I really liked the idea of backwards engineering your favorite recipes from restaurants to try at home as an exercise in mindfulness. Something to try! #NetGalley #March2022
December 31, 2023
Book 200 of 200 ~ 2023
🌟🌟🌟🌟
The book that helps me hit my goal of at least 200 books is this amazingly illustrated graphic novel that is filled with all sorts of ways to maximise your dollars while still eating healthy, delicious food.
So many tips ranging from what to buy from the store and at various stores from the cheap dollar shops to bulk buys to regular supermarts... as well as how to maintain the fridge etc.
Being someone who doesn't venture into the kitchen...erm..much,.. even I found it nifty!
Oh and there are a bunch of recipes at the end ~ even if you are a noob in the kitchen, you are bound to find something you can whip up!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book200of200 #amreading #netgalley #tbrpile #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2023 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
🌟🌟🌟🌟
The book that helps me hit my goal of at least 200 books is this amazingly illustrated graphic novel that is filled with all sorts of ways to maximise your dollars while still eating healthy, delicious food.
So many tips ranging from what to buy from the store and at various stores from the cheap dollar shops to bulk buys to regular supermarts... as well as how to maintain the fridge etc.
Being someone who doesn't venture into the kitchen...erm..much,.. even I found it nifty!
Oh and there are a bunch of recipes at the end ~ even if you are a noob in the kitchen, you are bound to find something you can whip up!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book200of200 #amreading #netgalley #tbrpile #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2023 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
May 6, 2022
Move over Joy of Cooking and Mastering the Art of French Cooking, there is a new cook book in town!
This book made me so hungry!!!!
From the first panel I was in love with the art style, saying our loud "that's just adorable" and stopping my husband to show him. I was unfamiliar with Poorcraft, but I'm absolutely going to check out the other titles.
I am 1000% buying this book when I get the chance! I loved the way the recipe section had fun beautiful illustrations to go along with them. There was a lot of diversity in the dishes, from Mexican to Japanese to deli and bread! I also got really good kitchen cleaning and organization advice I hadn't really considered.
I am a person who loves cooking and having a kitchen organized with the tools I need where I need them, so this spoke to that part of me.
I am legit going to make the Tamagokake Gohan tomorrow for lunch!
Thank you NetGalley and Nero Villagallos O'Reilly for the opportunity to read and review this title!
This book made me so hungry!!!!
From the first panel I was in love with the art style, saying our loud "that's just adorable" and stopping my husband to show him. I was unfamiliar with Poorcraft, but I'm absolutely going to check out the other titles.
I am 1000% buying this book when I get the chance! I loved the way the recipe section had fun beautiful illustrations to go along with them. There was a lot of diversity in the dishes, from Mexican to Japanese to deli and bread! I also got really good kitchen cleaning and organization advice I hadn't really considered.
I am a person who loves cooking and having a kitchen organized with the tools I need where I need them, so this spoke to that part of me.
I am legit going to make the Tamagokake Gohan tomorrow for lunch!
Thank you NetGalley and Nero Villagallos O'Reilly for the opportunity to read and review this title!
March 28, 2022
'The Poorcraft Cookbook' with story and art by Nero Villagallos O'Reilly is a graphic novel showing how to shop and set up a kitchen, followed by a compendium of recipes.
Poorcraft is a series of books about living more frugally. This time around The first part of the book is the story of two friends. One is showing the other how to save money by shopping and cooking. This sets up educational trips to dollar stores, grocery outlets and restaurant supply stores. Then the majority of the book is a series of 1 or 2 page recipes.
This is a clever idea and would make a great gift for someone starting out in a new apartment. The approach is solid, the art is fun, and the recipes seem mostly pretty accessible.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Poorcraft is a series of books about living more frugally. This time around The first part of the book is the story of two friends. One is showing the other how to save money by shopping and cooking. This sets up educational trips to dollar stores, grocery outlets and restaurant supply stores. Then the majority of the book is a series of 1 or 2 page recipes.
This is a clever idea and would make a great gift for someone starting out in a new apartment. The approach is solid, the art is fun, and the recipes seem mostly pretty accessible.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
May 9, 2022
Penny is struggling to balance her budget and eat well. So Milli takes her under her wing to get her kitchen set up, gives her organization and cleanliness tips, and then walks her through a whole bunch of recipes.
I like the international scope of the types of recipes included in this. I feel like the advice in these Poorcraft books is great for those who are only moderately struggling financially and looking to save some extra pennies. Those who are really struggling can use some of the tips (especially the great tips to keep your equipment in good shape) but things like buying in bulk may not be as feasible. The recipes are illustrated and easy to follow. A useful graphic novel for those looking to save money on food.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I like the international scope of the types of recipes included in this. I feel like the advice in these Poorcraft books is great for those who are only moderately struggling financially and looking to save some extra pennies. Those who are really struggling can use some of the tips (especially the great tips to keep your equipment in good shape) but things like buying in bulk may not be as feasible. The recipes are illustrated and easy to follow. A useful graphic novel for those looking to save money on food.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2025
2.5* Always so hard to review a cookbook and consider it "done". First half is the comic book.
Imagine you're in your 20s and a friend comes over, an older, cooler friend who seems to have her shit together. And she offers to help you up your cooking & shopping game so that you don't starve, spend more money than you have on takeout or throwing away things that are perfectly good because they're past their "best before" date, and helping you navigate the grocery store. It sounds great and is was kind of interesting, but it was a bit of an infodump.
It did kick my butt and remind me that I have some beans in the pantry that i need to use, but I couldn't get myself to do one of the recipes as written, just used it for inspiration. It's a library book so I was a little afraid of using it in the kitchen and I think the pages are kindof weird for a cookbook.
Imagine you're in your 20s and a friend comes over, an older, cooler friend who seems to have her shit together. And she offers to help you up your cooking & shopping game so that you don't starve, spend more money than you have on takeout or throwing away things that are perfectly good because they're past their "best before" date, and helping you navigate the grocery store. It sounds great and is was kind of interesting, but it was a bit of an infodump.
It did kick my butt and remind me that I have some beans in the pantry that i need to use, but I couldn't get myself to do one of the recipes as written, just used it for inspiration. It's a library book so I was a little afraid of using it in the kitchen and I think the pages are kindof weird for a cookbook.
August 15, 2023
About half of this book is recopies drawn as comics, and most only taking up one page so though it's a little frenetic to follow along, it's not unusable as a cookbook. But the preamble is a story where Villagallos O'Reilly uses rubber hose animation to simplify the daunting task of breaking kitchen habits. The tone is friendly, not preachy, so you don't feel like you need to try all the life hacks the characters learn about in the book (such as an all-or-nothing diet) and how different diets work differently for different people. The book offers up learning about oneself and experimenting with your daily life in the kitchen.
March 8, 2024
An informative read in the beginning but once we got to the recipes, it was a bit chaotic and I found it odd that the food and drinks themselves weren't explained...what they were supposed to be? Some of course needed no explanation but others might have been improved by a sentence explaining what sort of dish they were. And was it just me or the end notes didn't always correspond to the pages they were meant for...?
Might be a fun reference in the kitchen and got some shopping and organizational idea, even if I didn't care for the bendy arms and legs and old-timey drawing style.
Might be a fun reference in the kitchen and got some shopping and organizational idea, even if I didn't care for the bendy arms and legs and old-timey drawing style.
April 2, 2022
I don't know...
Penny and Mil return in this new installment of the Poorcraft series. This time Penny teaches her friend to cook on a near-poverty income, and brings a bunch of recipes with her. The problem! Not all of the recipes seem to meet the cost test, because there are expensive things in some of them.
There's still good stuff in here, and it's definitely charming in its own way. I have not tried any of the recipes, though.
Penny and Mil return in this new installment of the Poorcraft series. This time Penny teaches her friend to cook on a near-poverty income, and brings a bunch of recipes with her. The problem! Not all of the recipes seem to meet the cost test, because there are expensive things in some of them.
There's still good stuff in here, and it's definitely charming in its own way. I have not tried any of the recipes, though.
July 11, 2023
I really appreciated the first half of this comic! Lots of good tips to set up your kitchen properly as far as pantry must-haves and tool care.
The recipes themselves, not to my taste for the most part, but there were still a few that piqued my interest! I need to follow the books advice, and start searching out what I like and what fits into my life! I already have a few ideas, too. Onwards to yummy foods!
The recipes themselves, not to my taste for the most part, but there were still a few that piqued my interest! I need to follow the books advice, and start searching out what I like and what fits into my life! I already have a few ideas, too. Onwards to yummy foods!
December 26, 2023
I absolutely loved this book! It has so much good information and advice. It teaches you not only how to cook for yourself, but also how to shop and find good deals. It also explains how dollar stores and overstock stores work. The illustrations are so charming and cute! The recipes at the end are so delicious! My favorite was the okonomiyaki. Especially during these times, I cannot recommend this more!
Read
August 14, 2022the introduction comic is packed full of useful info, but also means that it's a much slower read than some people might expect from an intro comic. the recipes are a great mix of different styles of food, levels of difficulty, and a mix of vegetarian and not. honestly, i checked this out from the library but i think i'll be buying a copy for myself.
May 15, 2022
This was amazing! I feel like I need to go back and take notes. It felt textbooky but not in a bad way. Everyone should know these things. They're basic human functions but presented in a fun way. We all need a friend like Penny
September 12, 2023
Loved the design of this book, a really great introduction to cooking, grocery shopping, even organizing your kitchen. I will be recommending this to every friend nervous to start exploring the world of cooking! I've even saved some of the recipes in the back to try out myself. Really wonderful!
September 29, 2024
Fantastic reference! I spent a lot of time taking actual notes on the information in this book. Great resource for those who are living by themselves for the first time or just learning how to cook. Highly recommend!
Want to read
October 1, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Read
December 16, 2021Reviewed for Booklist
February 9, 2022
Not for me.
May 3, 2022
I loved this! Found a ton of recipes to try, everything looks easy, wish I 'd had the organizing and shopping tips and these recipes when I was first on my own.
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