The Poorcraft Cookbook

This charming third outing from the Poorcraft comic series (after Poorcraft: Wish You Were Here) offers cooking advice geared toward those setting out on their own for the first time. The first third of cartoonist O’Reilly’s work lands as a primer featuring the all-knowing Penny and the eager-to-learn Milli, two four-fingered, elastic-armed friends who present tips on how to shop for groceries (such as discerning the difference between “sell by” and “use by” dates on products), organize the refrigerator, and properly fill the spice rack (“A well stocked spice cabinet,” Penny notes, “is what make a lot of cheap eating possible”). More than 100 recipes fill the remaining pages, most in the form of playfully illustrated single-page comic strips that find Penny cooking up a whirlwind of low-cost vegetarian or vegan comfort foods and international dishes—from tuna salad to huevos rancheros, bánh mì, and congee. Equally adept at baking, Penny provides a foolproof recipe for sourdough bread and five types of cookies before breaking down coffee brewing methods and types of teas, and then relaxing with a selection of infused vodkas and mixed drinks. Kitchen rookies will find plenty to learn, as well as a few chuckles along the way. (Mar.)