Camille Glenn, 100, dies

I'm not sure if many people here are familiar with Camille, but I had the opportunity to speak with her on several occasions. She will truly be missed by many people.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100122/FEATURES02/1220365/-1/rss

"The Heritage of Southern Cooking" was my first "real" cookbook purchase and I've spent many an hour both mastering those recipes and enjoying the stories that go along with cooking them. She and Marion Flexner hold up the southern foodways corner of my library. I'll have to cook one of her recipes in her honor tonight.

[Robin Garr]

She was quite the character, and was still contributing recipes regularly toward the end of my tenure at the CJ, at which point she must have been close to 80. I hope she kept on cooking happily for the rest of her century on Earth.

Heritage of Southern Cooking is one of my faves as well. I'm thinking some beans, greens and cornbread are on the menu for tonight!

End of an era. Thank you Camille Glenn. But we have gone from an era of a few chosen great restaurants and great cooks in the Louisville area to great food accessible to nearly everyone, everywhere. Both are good times. We have been fortunate.

Besides Ms. Glenn's cookbook, I also have a CJ cookbook from Lillian Marshall 1971 that I use alot that contains Cissy Gregg recipes. I saved a few Sunday magazines over the years with their recipes too. I have found copies of it over the years and given to people as gifts. They probably wonder about the 'used' gift but I hope most appreciate it.

I miss the CJ and Louisville Times. I still receive the morning newspaper each day, but it's not the same. But I do like to hold print in my hands. A magazine. A book. The computer is an amazing tool and communication method. But it's not for reading. Sunday morning, front porch, spring time in Louisville, coffee, newspaper. Nothing better.

I had the great fortune of meeting Miss Glenn as part of my job. She had the most fantastic cookbook collection. She was very friendly and knowledgable. She told me a few stories about her experiences before and during WW II that were a bit risque. She invited me to visit her off-duty, I am sorry I did not take her up on it, shortly after I was told she sold her home and moved to a smaller place. I did not get to see her again. A great Lady.

Our memorial dinner last night consisted of fried pork chops, mashed taters, kale, skillet gravy and cast iron corn bread. Ms. Glenn would have felt right at home. Good thing we had two teenage boys here to eat it. A little of that style cooking goes a loooong way on my tummy these days.

Just found a copy of her first book online for about $3.00. I'll do my memorial dinner when it arrives.