Sheila Lukins

Sheila Lukins the co-author of The New Basics and The Silver Palate Cookbook died on Sunday at age 66. I'm actually sitting here crying. My mom gave me her New Basics when I was in high school, and it is still my favorite cookbook. Even now when it is so easy to just print out a recipe and toss the paper in the recycling, I pull out her book first. I was just at a friend's house for dinner, and she too had this sitting on her shelf. These women taught so many of us to cook! I always imagined their sweet little shop in New York and thought one day I'd go there.

Not one recipe feels dated or makes me think "that is so 80's!" How many books can you say that about? Every single thing I've made from it turns out wonderfully.

It is a sad day to think she isn't here anymore, but what a legacy she has left in all of us! I know I feed my family and friends with meals she imagined for us.