Notable Passing: Cookbook Author Sheila Lukins

Sheila Lukins, coauthor of the classic cookbooks THE SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK and THE NEW BASICS COOKBOOK, passed away yesterday at the age of 66. She had recently suffered from a brain tumor.

Lukins was also the food editor of Parade Sunday magazine for nearly two dozen years.

Here are obituaries from the New York Times and Associated Press, as well as a memorial page at Amazon.

I have both the NEW BASICS COOKBOOK and the SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, and we have enjoyed several of the recipes, including one I mentioned back in the summer of 2007.

Lukins once described her role: "The whole idea is to make people feel very comfortable preparing a meal. The best compliment I ever get is that cooking from these recipes is just like having a friend helping you in the kitchen."

Lukins' legacy is that although she is now gone, she will continue to be that friend in the kitchen for countless cooks.