The October 1, 2026 meeting of the Twentieth Century Club of Garrettsville was held at the home of member Linda Fitt and featured Anne Rubin’s opening program of the year focussing on Famous Female American Chefs with a presentation on Fannie Farmer, who, basically, started it all.
This lady, from a very modest background, overcoming a number of handicaps, introduced a scientific approach to American cookery, including standardized measurements and temperatures, introduction of various leavening substances, clarified directions and American ingredients in common usage. She attended the Boston School of Cooking as a student, went on to become a teacher there and, lastly, the head of the institution. Her first cookbook contained some one thousand recipes and was at first denigrated by the publisher and reckoned to be a “sure loser”. WRONG! The first run of 3000 copies was almost instantly sold out and went on, over the years, to sell 300,000 copies, as a foundation of American cooking instruction.
She went on to found the first non-professional school of cooking, go on speaking tours, write more cookbooks, especially ones emphasizing nutrition, such as Food & Cookery for the Sick and Convalescent; she also spoke on this favorite topic at Harvard Medical School.
She was probably the first American cook to be recognized beyond her own kitchen and community, as well as a commercial and cultural icon…certainly the first woman to attain this status.
Co-hostesses Connie Pesecky and Carol Torda assisted in providing the Fall-themed refreshments at the close of the meeting. Next meeting will be on October 15, 2026.
