Marion Cunningham passed away today, whose legacy in food writing is cherished amongst many of today's prominent foodies.

     "She's one of the people who keeps the food community together," said Ruth Reichl, former restaurant critic of both The New York Times and editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine said  And Alice Waters, of the famed restaurant Chez Panisse, said "She had so much humor and charm and earnestness and passion and all of that, everybody listened up."

     The Californian-born Ms. Cunningham was a proponent of home cooking and her revision of "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook" in the 1970's, along with several other cookbooks she collaborated on and wrote, reinforced the ethos and respectability of a self-taught cook. Embedded within her books, were not only suggestions and tips on how to cook but also how to live. In "The Supper Book" she espoused on the joys of supper for one because "Sometimes eating supper alone feels private, quiet, and blessedly liberating" but also relished in the joining of family and friends at the table, culminating often in a quiet prayer because "Saying grace before supper can be a ritual of fellowship that reminds us that we're at the table for more than just the food."

Some of her books:

The Supper Book

The Maple Syrup Cookbook

Lost Recipes: Meals to Share With Friends and Family

Learning to Cook With Marion Cunningham

The Breakfast Book

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook