Cookbook Author Marion Cunningham Dies at 90

As the New York Times' Kim Severson tweeted earlier today, food writer/James Beard protégé Marion Cunningham died this morning from complications due to Alzheimer's in Walnut Creek, California. Cunningham famously overhauled the then-dated Fannie Farmer Cookbook in the late 70s. When the first Cunningham edition of the book came out in 1979, it was the fastest selling of edition of Fannie Farmer to date, selling almost 400,000 copies its first year. In his book The United States of Arugula, David Kamp calls the Cunningham Fannie Farmer "the definitive big, fat, friendly, popular, all-American cookbook."

Cunningham was the author of several cookbooks, wrote for magazines and newspapers, and hosted the show Cunningham & Company. She was 90 years old. Below, a charming video of Cunningham and Julia Child making some muffins.

Video: Marion Cunningham and Julia Child Make Muffins

· American Cooking Legend Marion Cunningham Dies at 90 [SFGate]
· Marion Cunningham and Julia Child Make Muffins [YouTube]
· All Cookbook Coverage on Eater [-E-]

[Photo: from the cover of Marion Cunningham's Good Eating.]