Abstract
Marian Tracy was a newspaper food editor and a cookbook author. She attended Miami University of Ohio and Randolph-Macon Women’s College. Later, she was the food editor for New York World-Telegram and the Sun in the 1950s. In addition, Tracy was the editor of several cookbooks including Coast to Coast. She wrote: “The recipes in this collection have been gathered from all sections of the country by those local and vocal experts, the newspaper food editors, who have put these traditional and often half-forgotten recipes into a workable idiom for present-day cook, unfamiliar with the terse and sometimes cryptic instructions of our ancestors.” She wrote many cookbooks—including several with her husband, Nino, who died in 1942. The most popular was Casserole Cookery. In one version, there was an introduction written by social critic Phyllis McGinley. She described the cookbook author as “the prophet of a new gospel—immensely stylish.” Tracy came up with the idea after working at a bookstore and listening to customers constantly requesting a cookbook for casseroles. Also, as she told Associated Press Food Editor Cicely Brownstone, “I learned to take shortcuts in cooking because my husband took long cuts.” Ultimately, the book went through eight printings. It was reviewed by several newspapers and continues to be referenced online. Yet, despite her prominence, little information is available about her. Her obituary was only a few paragraphs long. This study documents her contributions to food and cookbook history – including technology, home cooking trends and the environment.
Presenters
Kimberly VossProfessor, Journalism, University of Central Florida, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Cookbook, Recipes, Food Editor, Technology, Home Cooks, Food History
