There will be joy in the building; there will be joy in the contemplating that which you have built; there will be joy in the sewing; there will be joy in following the progress from seed into fruit; there will be joy in the harvest; and there will be the greatest pleasure in eating the fruit of your labor. Angelo Pellegrini (from the Prologue - Why A Kitchen Garden)

{HISTORY}

Chances are, if you lived in Washington State, in Seattle in particular, or were a fan of Sunset magazine, you knew the name Angelo Pellegrini (1904-1991).

The son of Italian immigrants from Tuscany, Angelo moved to Washington State with his parents and siblings as a young boy in the early 1900s. Embracing opportunities that abounded for him in education and the resources it brought, Angelo pursued an academic career that eventually led him to become a professor of English at the University of Washington. But in addition to teaching at the university level, Pelle, as he was known to his friends, led a double life as a gourmand, a gardener and a winemaker espousing across ten books and many newspaper articles all that was possible in the way of attaining the good life through food. 

Never straying from his Italian heritage, Pelle embraced the agricultural terrain of Western Washington and planted a garden reputed to be so stunning in its year-round seasonality that Sunset magazine photographed it across an entire year to capture its beauty at every turn. 

Believing that good food was accessible and available to anyone who had even the smallest garden, Pelle championed growing your own food and explained how to do it in his 1970 book, The Food-Lover's Garden as a way to ensure the most delicious and satisfying cooking experiences possible.  Infectious in his delight of home gardening, Pelle explores all the ideal foods, fruits and herbs to cultivate in order to achieve as close to a year-round farmers market in your own plot as possible. 

Written in a conversational tone, Pelle  shares interesting information on the history, growing conditions, differences in varietals and helpful cooking tips of the edible garden vegetable by vegetable, herb by herb, fruit by fruit. Peppered inbetween are memories from his childhood and experiences he's had in working and building up his own garden - insights offered to help guide readers in their quest for achieving an idyllic yet also attainable garden of their own.

This book is really helpful for setting up a sustainable garden that serves the home cook in a practical, realistic manner with as close to four season cultivation as possible. In Interesting seed varietials are recommended beyond the basic and over a dozen recipes are shared highlighting certain herbs or vegetables, but not all.  

Angelo Pellegrini's enthusiasm for gardening, passion for food, and proud support of the farm-to-table lifestyle (or in this case garden-to-table lifestyle) long before it was ever a trend, earned him the reputation as being one of the most well-regarded food writers in America during the 20th century. He was also one of the favorite writers included in famed Knoph editor, Judith Jones' canon of incredible cooks. 

This book is absolutely lovely for anyone interested in starting a kitchen garden literally from the ground up, and a great resource for a nutritionally balanced diet that sings of fresh vegetables and flavorful foods.

Pohotograph of Angelo Pellegrini, aged 88, courtesy of The San Francisco Examinier, April 3, 1991.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Published in 1970, second printing (July 1970)
• 253 pages, not including index
• Illustrated through with drawings by Grambs Miller
• Recipes include: Roast Pork with Herbs, Classic Italian Tomato Sauce made with Round Steak and herbs, Braised Green Beans, Sauteed Chicken with Wine and Herbs, Basil Preserved with Parmesan, and Spinach Frittata
• Please note: Recipes are conversationally written, and not presented in the traditional method of most cookbooks (ie an ingredient list and preparation instructions following each other in separate order). 

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this book is clean and bright throughout. The original dust jacket is fully intact with just minor chipping on the spine section at the top edge. The interior and coverboards are free of cooking (and gardening!0 spots and stains. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.5" inches (length) x 6" inches (width) x 1" inches (thickness). and weighs 1.2 lbs.