The grandmothers teaching: never throw anything away, you’ll always find a use for it. A maxim that is perfect for the crisis we’re living in. A return to an economy careful about saving, like in the Fifties, when nothing was wasted on principal. This is the message of 3 R in the kitchen, that stands for Recover, Restore & Recycle: many ideas for a rich cuisine made of poor ingredients because, often, a pinch of fantasy is enough to transform the leftovers in the fridge into a delightful dish. The two authors have collected 400 tasty and original recipes with a common denominator: simple products and easy preparation, cheap ingredients and quick cooking, to save on energy but also to satisfy even the most demanding palates. Invaluable recipes, from Italy and elsewhere, sometimes found in crumpled old notebooks handed down over the generations. Others are recipes from regional traditions or the result of personal versions of a recipe. Children’s tastes in food is not forgotten either. Recipes that respond to a new ethic and are attentive to the quality of raw materials, careful preparation and, in particular, respect for the environment. They are an invitation to a new way of cooking. Because today cooking is entertaining, the plain and dreary kitchen of bored housewives has undergone a transformation. Now it is a cheerful open space full of colourful tools, a place for socializing and sharing the pleasure of company and good food.