Man - I know he was a pedophile but I miss the Frugal Gourmet show.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

Jeff Smith's was the first show to really inspire me to cook. Well Julia Child, really, but his I found very accessible.

[FuzzySlippers]

1. I think those charges were later recanted.

But they really did put the kabosh on Jeff Smith's career.

[tigereye]

2. I love his books

great recipes.

[Eurobabe]

3. he was a friggin pedophile??

[politicat]

4. charge was recanted; IIRC developed out of False Memories.

I'm glad he died of his heart problems soon after so that he didn't have to live with it forever....

I love his books.

Pcat

[fortyfeetunder]

5. Jeff was a nice guy, great cook.

One of the first people I met when I moved out here. Also got lotst of good ideas from him and the store he once owned. May he rest in peace!

[madmax]

10. I hadn't heard that he died

How long ago? I like him too. He had a nice way about him. Very calm.

[calico1]

6. I agree.

By the way the charges were recanted. But it destroyed his career. Too bad. One tip of his I still remember and use is when you are doing any chopping (like onions or anything like that) use the back of the knife to scrape the stuff into the bowl or pan or whatever. Using the cutting edge of the knife as a scraper blunts the sharpness kind of like using windshield wipers to scrape ice off your windshield.

[troubleinwinter]

7. I don't think he was ever called a pedophile

Seems he came onto and pressured (sexual harassment) some young adult associates/employees, but not children.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

11. Check this out

http://www.current.org/people/peop813s.html

[FuzzySlippers]

12. Thanks for posting that. I hadn't seen all those charges.

It seems that with all that smoke, there must have been some fire.

[NamVetsWeeLass]

8. I didn't even know he died. I loved Jeff Smith.

I was heartbroken when I heard about the allegations against him. He used to crack me up. I remember one time he tried an Italian Delicacy called "Lupini Beans" Now I have had these things since I was a baby, they have never been bitter. I only found out what all is entailed in their prep after I got older. You have to soak these things for DAYS in salt brine, Cook them at least one time, and soak them some more.(I am not exactly sure of the exact method, I have always left getting the dried ones up to Mother, You can find decent jarred ones.) Well, Jeff apparently didn't know the method and like I said, they take a LONG TIME to get to the point that you can eat them. He said they were the most awful things he had ever eaten, after explaining how he simply rehydrated them. He either didn't soak them properly or he didn't cook them, I can't recall exactly. But to be a sport about it, He tried one on camera, and made a face like someone just gave him a shot of undiluted Lemon oil to drink. My Mother and I watched him, Laughing. I hope someone sent him in the correct way to fix them, they really are good after the right prep. Ahhh well, Maybe he is eating them in his Heaven. RIP Jeff! Wait, has anyone heard what ever became of the adorable Craig--- His assistant?

[calico1]

9. I liked Craig too!

And he seemed like such a promising young chef. I also wonder what happened to him.

As for Jeff Smith screwing up the cooking methods of ethnic foods it isn't only Italian he did that with. One time he was demonstrating a Puerto Rican staple--"tostones" which are fried, greem plantains. He used ripe ones, which are eaten but not as much and mispronounced the name and they looked burnt when he was done frying them! LOL. But I do appreciate his efforts to enlighten us about different ethnic foods.