Marion Cunningham (1) (1922–2012)

I grew up with my mother's 1970's split, falling apart, taped in separated pages copy gracing our kitchen and always begged her to get another book. Then one day, this hardcover reissued anniversary edition came under my tree and I have learned why my mother kept her tattered, broken copy as something sacred.

Despite having been given so many different instructional guides, Fannie Farmer has been my go-to guide for many years. Not only do I look up techniques I do not know or cannot show more remember, I often look up topics I am already familiar with to see what Marion Cunningham has to say and always learn something new.

The instructions are very clear and the recipes solid. In fact, when starting at a new office, there was an upcoming bake sale and I was strongly encouraged to participate to help assimilate. Well, I am a cook, not a baker, but I had so much faith in Fannie Farmer (and my mother's advice) that I made her gingerbread cookies for the first time for the bake sale - and had everyone commenting and asking for the recipe. It feels so good to have a cookbook I can rely upon to simply work whenever I try to make something.

As for my mother's tattered '70's edition, she did buy herself a new copy at the same time. She assures me that one day my copy will be as well-loved as hers once was and to prepare for the chiding of my own children. I simply remind her that, if you find a good reference you will be opening a lot, buy a hardcover; the expense is worth it.

EDIT: Having read other people's reviews, I must concede that the lack of pictures can be troublesome for some beginner cooks and the recipes are mostly basics - this is not a foodie cookbook (I have others for that). However, one cannot begin to walk then run a marathon, nor can every movement be a dance; this is a great book to have around as a reference to a wide variety of foods/techniques on which to build a solid foundation, as well as for some of our home-made comfort foods. show less

I grew up with my mother's 1970's split, falling apart, taped in separated pages copy gracing our kitchen and always begged her to get another book. Then one day, this hardcover reissued anniversary edition came under my tree and I have learned why my mother kept her tattered, broken copy as something sacred.

Despite having been given so many different instructional guides, Fannie Farmer has been my go-to guide for many years. Not only do I look up techniques I do not know or cannot show more remember, I often look up topics I am already familiar with to see what Marion Cunningham has to say and always learn something new.

The instructions are very clear and the recipes solid. In fact, when starting at a new office, there was an upcoming bake sale and I was strongly encouraged to participate to help assimilate. Well, I am a cook, not a baker, but I had so much faith in Fannie Farmer (and my mother's advice) that I made her gingerbread cookies for the first time for the bake sale - and had everyone commenting and asking for the recipe. It feels so good to have a cookbook I can rely upon to simply work whenever I try to make something.

As for my mother's tattered '70's edition, she did buy herself a new copy at the same time. She assures me that one day my copy will be as well-loved as hers once was and to prepare for the chiding of my own children. I simply remind her that, if you find a good reference you will be opening a lot, buy a hardcover; the expense is worth it.

EDIT: Having read other people's reviews, I must concede that the lack of pictures can be troublesome for some beginner cooks and the recipes are mostly basics - this is not a foodie cookbook (I have others for that). However, one cannot begin to walk then run a marathon, nor can every movement be a dance; this is a great book to have around as a reference to a wide variety of foods/techniques on which to build a solid foundation, as well as for some of our home-made comfort foods. show less

Marion Cunningham is a legendary food personality and her passing in 2012 was mourned by many in the culinary world. This book was published in 2003, and her down-to-earth personality comes through in the introduction to each recipe. These recipes are considered "lost" in that they are no longer the "go-to" recipes people reach for when considering what to prepare - whether it be breakfast, dinner, or dessert. Most of these recipes are not ones I would make due to my family's dietary issues, show more but Marion discusses them fondly in a way that makes you feel you are sitting at the table with a beloved grandmother as she turns the pages of a food-spattered cookbook, reminiscing about meals prepared and eaten long ago. I think in addition to sharing these recipes, her purpose for writing this cookbook was to encourage people to cook "from scratch" again - as she tells the reader, "There is nothing like the satisfaction of sharing with others something you have cooked yourself."

The book itself is attractive, with a nice pocket on the inside cover for tucking in your own recipes and notes. And I found at least half a dozen recipes in the book that I'd like to try.

If you enjoy reading cookbooks, I encourage you to read this one, especially for the opportunity to imagine an earlier, less complicated lifestyle. The back cover says these classic recipes include "many simple-to-make, good-tasting, inexpensive dishes from the past that taste better than ever today." How can you resist? show less

The best parts of this cookbook are not the recipes, but all the extra stuff. The beginning of every category has a section of techniques and tips. The book also heavily focuses on how to make the most out of your ingredients and leftovers, transforming one dish into several other meals. There's a great index and even a glossary of ingredients and kitchen equipment. This is not so much a recipe book (though there are great recipes) as it is a book about cooking and efficiently operating a show more kitchen. The recipes included in the book mostly require simple ingredients that most people already have. Most of the recipes are time-tested as they've been in the book since it was originally published in the nineteenth century by Fannie Farmer herself. I've only had this book for about a week now, and I can't put it down. show less