Maida Heatter is a cookbook author who began her career as a fashion illustrator and jewelry designer before she opened a cafe, the Inside, in Miami Beach in the 1960s. She drew the attention of Times food editor Craig Claiborne, who wrote in 1968: "She is hands down the foremost food authority in Florida." The Times began featuring her recipes.
In 1974, she published Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts, the first of many titles that included Happiness Is Baking: Favorite Desserts From the Queen of Cake, published two months ago. Among her other books are Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (1980) and Maida Heatter's Cookies (1997). She won three James Beard Awards and was inducted to the foundation's Cookbook Hall of Fame in 1980 and again in 1998. Maida Heatter passed away on June 6, 2019 at the age of 102.
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