Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil: Historical Anecdotes and Recipes [Paperback]

Thomas Pellechia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2000

With historical facts and quotes, personal memoir, and both ancient and modern quick-and-easy recipes, this book describes how the reverence for these three foods developed and what keeps it going, from the land of Ur to the contemporary kitchen. In a concise, informative narrative, the author discusses the origins, cultivation, healthful attributes, and culinary preparation of these "Holy" foods that have become integrated into international cuisines from the Old World to the New. Also contains lists of suggested pairings of meals with wines, and a helpful bibliography.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Capra Pr (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884964442
• ISBN-13: 978-0884964445
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,778,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My writing life began at age 12, after a teacher read one of my compositions to the class and said it was the best in the class. He held me after class to encourage me to be a writer.

Over the years, I wrote poems and stories, and wrote for newsletters at work. After a brief interlude, when I lived for two years in Tehran, Iran, and traveled the countryside where ancient wines had been produced, the wine bug grabbed me. The idea of getting into the wine business came to me, too, after having worked on a number of projects as a script writer for a few wineries and their promotion campaigns. I had already started to consume wine regularly and to make it at home. To me, it was just a short leap to make wine commercially.

That short leap cost me some money but I got a winery up and running and when the money ran out eight years later, I had to close up shop. But I kept writing, yet I switched to wine writing and then I added food writing to that.

After closing the winery, I went to work as a wine salesman for a winery and then for a distributor. After that, I opened a wine retail shop with a partner.

My immersion in the wine world has me traveling the, well, the wine world. I continue to write and I have added a blog to that effort: vinofictions.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and Refreshing Read, October 7, 2000

By 

David Kiley "reader" (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil: Historical Anecdotes and Recipes (Paperback)

Pellechia mixes history with his love for food and wine in a most refreshing way. He jumps from the time of Alexander The Great to The Roman Empire to 1970s Iran and 1980s Brooklyn effortlessly, all the while inspiring people who know a little about food and wine to know a good deal more. He tackles the holy trinity of eating in a style that is as fresh as a loaf of Italian bread taken right out of the oven. His selection of recipes sprinkled throughout are a delight.....David Kiley of USA Today.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for the Novice and Learner, December 14, 2003

By 

C. Kerlin (WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil: Historical Anecdotes and Recipes (Paperback)

The blend of literature, personal story, information and recipes makes this book a warm and helpful companion. Not only are the resulting meals a delight, but they are richer for the narrative that goes with them. Warning: do not read this book on an empty stomach - it could cause a trip to the market!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasures sometimes land in our laps as this one did., July 27, 2005

By 

John D. Zuccarino (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil: Historical Anecdotes and Recipes (Paperback)

Treasures sometimes land in our laps at times at the oddest of times and circumstances and I had the pleasure of meeting an author and purchasing his book or treasure. The book "Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil", by Thomas Pellechia, much too my surprise was a heartfelt book packed with history, recipes and a slice of life so sincere that I feel like I have experienced the things that I have read. Maybe it's because Thomas and I share the memories and culture of a time lost and yet found in his book.

The way the author Thomas writes is the type of style that grabs you by the arm and won't let go until you are done with the book. I found it very easy to read and very informative. Thomas leaves a few clues as to his age in the book so one can date the timeline as well some of the most compelling history even quoting biblical verses and great historians and some of the best minds in the world and all this is interwoven the story of "Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil". While embarking on a journey from thousands of years ago up to the modern era you are drawn in by the hook, health and history and the human experience many different cultures.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for life and wants to understand more about Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil and how it has interwoven itself in the human experience called life. Thomas has been imbued into my mind and forever changed the way I perceive this world and I might add given some of the best recipes for many dishes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an open mine and who wants to take a ride and surf the crest of history and stay healthy.

John D.Zuccarino