Fannie Farmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fannie Farmer
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| Born |
Fannie Merritt Farmer
March 23, 1857 |
| Died | January 15, 1915 (aged 57) |
| Occupation | Chef, cookbook writer |
| Known for | Boston Cooking-School Cook Book |
Fannie Merritt Farmer (born March 23, 1857 – died January 15, 1915) was a famous American cooking expert. Her book, The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, taught many people how to cook. It became a very popular cookbook.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Fannie Farmer was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on March 23, 1857. Her parents were Mary Watson Merritt and John Franklin Farmer. Her father was an editor and printer. Fannie was the oldest of four daughters. Her family believed education was very important. They expected Fannie to go to college.
However, when Fannie was 16, she had a stroke. This happened while she was attending Medford High School. Because of the stroke, Fannie could not continue her schooling. For several years, she could not walk well. She stayed home and her parents cared for her. During this time, Fannie started cooking. She became so good that her mother's home became a boarding house. It was known for its delicious meals.
When Fannie was 30, she could walk again, though she had a limp. A friend suggested she enroll in the Boston Cooking School. Fannie studied there until 1889. This was during a time when "domestic science" was very popular. She learned important cooking skills. These included nutrition, cooking for sick people, and cleaning. She also learned about the chemistry of food and how to manage a household. Fannie was one of the best students. After graduating, she became an assistant to the school's director. In 1891, she became the principal of the school.
Fannie Farmer's Famous Cookbook
Fannie Farmer published her most famous book in 1896. It was called The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. This cookbook changed how people cooked. It was the first to use standard measuring spoons and cups. It also taught people to use "level measurements." This means filling a cup or spoon exactly level, not heaped up.
Fannie's book was an updated version of an earlier cookbook. That one was called Mrs. Lincoln's Boston Cook Book. Fannie's book eventually had 1,850 recipes. These ranged from simple milk toast to fancy dishes. The book also included tips on housekeeping and cleaning. It taught how to can and dry fruits and vegetables. Plus, it had important information about nutrition.
The publisher, Little, Brown & Company, did not think the book would sell well. So, they only printed 3,000 copies at first. Fannie had to pay for this first printing herself. But the book became incredibly popular in America. It was so complete and helpful that people just called it the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. It is still printed and sold today, over 100 years later!
Fannie Farmer also explained the chemical changes that happen when food cooks. She helped create a standard system for measurements in American cooking. Before her book, recipes often said things like "a piece of butter the size of an egg" or "a teacup of milk." Fannie's clear instructions for measuring helped her earn the nickname "the mother of level measurements."
In 1902, Fannie left the Boston Cooking School. She started her own school called Miss Farmer's School of Cookery. She taught women how to cook both simple and fancy meals. But Fannie also became very interested in food for sick people. She wrote a book called Food and Cookery for the Sick and Convalescent. This book had 30 pages just about diabetes.
Fannie was even invited to teach at Harvard Medical School. She taught doctors and nurses about special diets and nutrition for patients. She strongly believed that proper food was vital for sick people. She thought her work in this area would be her most important legacy. Fannie understood that for ill people with poor appetites, food needed to look good, taste good, and be presented well. She felt these things were more important than cost or even nutritional value for someone who was very sick.
Later Life and Legacy
For the last seven years of her life, Fannie Farmer used a wheelchair. Even so, she kept lecturing, writing, and creating new recipes. She gave her last lecture just 10 days before she passed away. The Boston Evening Transcript newspaper published her lectures. Other newspapers across the country then picked them up. Fannie also lectured to nurses and dietitians. She taught a course on preparing special diets at Harvard Medical School. Today, many chefs and home cooks in America still connect her name with carefulness, good organization, and delicious food.
Fannie Farmer died on January 15, 1915, at age 57. She passed away from problems related to her stroke. She was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2018, The New York Times published a special obituary for her, many years after her death.
Works
A complete list of editions may be found at Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.
- [Republication of What to Have for Dinner: Containing Menus with Recipes for their Preparation (1905).]
See also
In Spanish: Fannie Merritt Farmer para niños
