The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food) [Paperback]

Angelo M. Pellegrini (Author), Ruth Reichl (Editor), Mario Batali (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Modern Library Food | Publication Date: August 9, 2005

First issued in 1948, when soulless minute steaks and quick casseroles were becoming the norm, The Unprejudiced Palate inspired a seismic culinary shift in how America eats. Written by a food-loving immigrant from Tuscany, this memoir-cum-cookbook articulates the Italian American vision of the good life: a backyard garden, a well-cooked meal shared with family and friends, and a passion for ingredients and cooking that nourish the body and the soul.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Although he wrote it nearly 60 years ago, Pellegrini's treatise on food and life reads like a contemporary paean to the Italian culinary ideal. It is no surprise that the editor of this series of classic food writings chose Mario Batali to write a new introduction to Pellegrini, for the two share a nearly identical philosophy. Pellegrini immigrated to the U.S. from Italy and became a professor of English. At his Seattle home, he cultivated a garden and spread a gospel of simple, fresh cooking that wowed his academic colleagues. Disdaining the pretensions of the midcentury movement for processed, flavorless foods, Pellegrini was a lonely voice for using game, fresh herbs, home-canned tomatoes, and garden vegetables to create simple sauces for pasta. He relished the organ meats that repelled so many others, but he could not cook without his beloved imported Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. In his writings, he recorded recipes, but these are more general techniques than rosters of precisely measured ingredients. Those unfamiliar with Pellegrini will be astounded at his prescience. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“I have always thought that Angelo Peligrini misnamed his charming but opinionated book.  It should have been called the Prejudiced Palate, because he is so absolutely sure and unwavering in his vision of how to live a beautiful and delicious life. And I think he’s right.”
 –Alice Waters, Owner, Chez Panisse

"Like great dishes, great writing remains in our memory forever. Angelo
Pellegrini's THE UNPREJUDICED PALATE is a lesson in how to enjoy life
in an elegant and highly civilized way."
 – Jacques Pépin

"Angelo Pellegrini remains undoubtedly one of America's greatest food writers. But THE UNPREJUDICED PALATE is not just about cooking; it's about taking the time to slow down and savor life. This delightful classic is a must read for those who live in our fast-food nation."
 –David Rosengarten, author of  It’s All American Food, The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook and Taste


"THE UNPREJUDICED PALATE is a forgotten gem from what might be remembered as the Golden Age of American food writing. This Italian born, beloved Seattle professor, friend and colleague of MFK Fisher, wrote with charm, wit, and a rare intelligence about food."
–Mark Kurlansky, author of Salt, Cod, 1968

“Angelo Pellegrini’s very personal view of cookery in America in the late forties is erudite, fascinating and at times screamingly funny.  His descriptions of his Italian family’s favorite dishes are so complete that they might as well be recipes, each more delicious sounding than the next”
–Daniel Bouloud


“THE UNPREJUDICED PALATE is a savory treat that, like a fine wine or good stinky cheese, has improved with age”
–Jessica Harris, author of The Africa Cookbook and Beyond Gumbo

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library (August 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812971558
• ISBN-13: 978-0812971552
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Philosophy,food,appetite for life,self-respect, all in one., September 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Unprejudiced Palate (Cook's Classic Library) (Paperback)

I first read this book 40 years ago in college, happily soaking up its gentle and appreciative attitude toward life, as well as an early dose of cultural relativism. I learned soup-making from Professor Pellegrini, and gratitude, and something about what's important in life. I've often repeated his stories--the one about how to serve polenta to the family when you only have one sardine to go with it, the one about the crowd of boys on market days choosing which horse to follow, the one about how as a young man he horrified a girlfriend and her parents by following his own ideas about food. The professor's recipes--e.g., for soup--are more than a list of steps; they show the reader how to _approach_ soup. Once you know how to approach it, you can invent freely within the framework provided. Although it's the soup I remember the most, he talks about preparing many kinds of food, growing fruits and vegetables, and living life in a life-preserving and life-affirming manner. In many ways, the Professor was way ahead of his time, and as I grow older and relearn from experience some of the things about life that I first learned from him, I enjoy yet again the daring of the 12-year-old who came to this country alone from Italy, ate ham and eggs across the country, became an English professor, and put so much wisdom into this small book. It's a joy to see the book being reprinted and made available to a whole new generation of readers and cooks.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IF YOU LOVE MFK FISHER, READ ON..., November 17, 1997

By 

Brooklyn reader "Lily" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unprejudiced Palate (Cook's Classic Library) (Paperback)

It's hard to believe this book was written and published in the '50s, when watery pot roast and martinis were America's idea of fodder for dinner parties. I loved Pellegrini's story about searching for olive oil in a friend's medicine cabinet, so he could dress a chicken--no one used olive oil for cooking then! You can skip every fancy book out now on Tuscan cuisine, trattoria cooking, etc. once you have this book, because it has the best recipes for risotto, rabbit, chicken, polenta, greens, cardoons, and more importantly, it makes an argument for eating well but in moderation -- a more sensible way to keep weight down without spoiling one's enjoyment of food. GARDENERS should also read this book, or his book, THE FOOD LOVER'S GARDEN. He writes just as lovingly about working in his garden as he does about cooking the foods he grows in it. Forget expensive organic produce at your local grocery and follow his instructions for a home garden to eat from, especially if you live in a mild climate like Prof. Pellegrini did (Seattle, WA).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must own for any lover of all things culinary, May 7, 2007

By 

Thomas R. Owens "first grandchild" (seattle, wa - usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food) (Paperback)

This is one of the best books of its kind ever written.
Originally composed nearly 60 years ago, it reads as if it'd been submitted to the publisher only recently. His culinary opinions are spot on, and his writing style is wonderful. One of my all time favorites.