Back in the 80s when I was a rising star in the communications galaxy I read the newspaper religiously.  I looked forward to spending Sunday afternoon immersed in newsprint and coupons.  It was here that I first met Sheila Lukins, who succeeded Julia Child as Food Editor for Parade magazine.  I loved her recipes and her style.  She made me believe I could actually cook a gourmet meal.  

Fortunately for me (the non-cook in our family) and countless other working women, Sheila not only made us believe we could cook, she made it possible for us to get our hands on gourmet dishes without having to cook at all.  She and her business partner Julee Russo invented the gourmet-to-go industry, opening a shop in New York called The Silver Palate.  Their business catered especially to the rising number of women in the work force who were not only responsible for bringing home the bacon but frying it up in the pan.  They could grab already prepared foods or the ingredients to whip up a gourmet meal without a lot of fuss.  From these humble beginnings came an entire food line of more than 120 products sold in 1,500 stores.  They also co-wrote four cookbooks, including the best-selling The Silver Palate and The Silver Palate Good TImes Cookbook.

Shelia Lukins died last week at age 66 of brain cancer.  You can read more about her here.  And the next time you grab a gourmet meal to go from your local market, thank Shelia for making it possible.