The oldest cookbook I own is a 1964 reprint of the 10th edition (1959) of The Fannie Merritt Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook (now just referred to as The Fannie Farmer Cookbook). I also have a 1980 copy of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook (12th edition). Both of these cookbooks belonged to my Grandma and I inherited them.  I always wondered who Fannie Merritt Farmer was and what made her write her first cookbook. Fannie Merritt Farmer was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 23, 1857. At age 16 she had a stroke which prevented her from attending college. Fannie instead stayed home and to help out around the house started to learn how…