The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook

This biography recounts Fannie Farmer’s life as a cook and food pioneer. After polio left her unable to use one leg as a teenager, cooking helped direct her future. She noticed that recipes often relied on vague amounts, which could produce inconsistent results. Farmer attended the Boston Cooking School, later became its principal, and promoted exact measurements and clear recipe instructions. She revised the school cookbook to demonstrate this approach and bring those methods to a wider public.