With his tall and portly frame, his gleaming bald head and jovial, Buddha- like countenance, James Beard was central casting's dream of a food writer come true. Almost until his death last week of a heart attack following a kidney infection, Beard, 81, remained a monumental and genial presence in New York City food markets and restaurants, where his passion for good eating invariably proved contagious. Displaying a grand flair for showmanship refined by early training for the stage, he created dramatic settings for his cooking classes, for his writing and entertaining, and for his superb collection of majolica and antique...
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