In Memoriam: Clara Cannucciari, 1915-2013

Clara Cannuciari, star of the YouTube series Great Depression Cooking, is dead at age 98.  The series, produced by her grandson Christopher, is a warm-hearted look at Clara's life and recipes from an earlier time. Some of the recipes and ingredients seem a bit foreign to this Southerner, but really they are all as simple and straightforward as the meals my own grandmother used to cook, and the finished dishes all look mighty tasty to me.  I am sure Clara's family and friends will miss not only her cooking, but also her good cheer.



You can see all of Clara's videos at her YouTube channel. Just for an appetizer, here's a sample one from 2007:



Kudos to Christopher for sharing his grandmother with us in this beautifully produced, charming series, and thereby also creating a wonderful record for her family to remember her by.

Clara's Last Video

You kitchen queens out there, if you haven't yet seen any of Clara Cannucciari's videos on Great Depression cooking - how appropriate for our time - scoot on over to YouTube and check them out. Over the last few years, her filmmaker grandson has recorded a number of short, simple recipes from Clara, who at 96 has decided that this will be her last serving-up of TV cookery.

I can't blame her for that, but I will miss her happy little stories and demonstrations. Even at near the century mark, she has a youthful sense of humor and a certain grace that comes from a life well lived.




Watch more of Clara's videos on her YouTube channel, or go to her website to order them on DVD or get the cookbook.

Depression Cooking: Clara Cannucciari

Seems it's really not ever too late to become a big star, even at 93. Maybe you guys who live closer to civilization have already heard about Clara's cooking videos, but we just got holt of 'em out here on the prairie.

Love you, Clara! You go, girl.