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.Â
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 to cook. Once she had recovered enough from her stroke her parents encouraged her to attend The Boston Cooking School, which she graduated from in 1889. Fannie was asked to stay on as the assistant director and eventually in 1894 became the head of the school.Â
In 1902 Fannie left The Boston Cooking School to open Miss Farmer’s School of Cookery to train housewives. Fannie Merritt Farmer passed away in Boston on January 15, 1915 at the age of 57.Â