It puzzled us that Beard chose to write a book on kitchen economies at a time when the nation's economy was prospering as never before. Perhaps it was his own perpetual inability to save money that prompted him. He and co-author Sam Aaron believed that the book filled "a gap in the cookbook field-the need for a realistic, down-to-earth approach to the subject of eating well without straining the food budget." To them, this did not equal deprivation. As they wrote, "There is no need to go to the penny-pinching extreme of serving meat loaf made with half a pound of hamburger and one cup of oatmeal, as some people do. Within the limitations of your budget you can set a table that has variety and distinction. You can serve gourmet food." Aaron, a wine-and-spirits authority, told readers how to drink better for less money, too.,

James Beard, Sam Aaron