Danny Corbett didn’t live to see the completion of his six to seven years’ work of collecting, testing and enjoying hundreds of recipes: "The Ultimate Cookbook—Volume 1 & Volume 2." But his sister, Janie Corbett, with the help of family, made sure the legacy Danny had created would go on forever in print.
Danny was a native of Mathews County, the son of Erva Lee Sutton Corbett and J.W. Corbett. Many of his relatives still live in Mathews, Gloucester and Middlesex. He attended Mathews High School but graduated from Staunton Military School with a number of academic and athletic honors. He received a degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1970, a year later received a Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering, and by 1972 he had another master’s in information and computer science.
Danny’s professional career began in Detroit, Mich., as a manager of Materials Systems. Then he returned to Atlanta to become a Management Consulting Partner and later was named National Director of the Telecommunications Consulting Practice.
In 1988 Danny was diagnosed with ALS, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease. "After learning of the diagnosis, he commented that this was appropriate because of his love for the game of baseball," said a story about his life which is part of the cookbook. "Baseball was a large part of his childhood. He played all through his years of school in the position of shortstop. He coached and even when busy at work, he would fly home to coach his children whenever they were playing a game.
"Danny approached his illness as he did with everything in his life, focus, intelligence and determination. When he lost control of his right hand he learned to write with his left. As he began to lose his ability to speak, he designed a board in which he could communicate with others and a system to spell out the words and sentences using the blinking of his eyes. This board made it possible for him to continue to "speak" with the rest of the world and to write this cookbook."
Linda Corbett, Danny’s wife whom he met on a volleyball court while searching for someone’s lost engagement ring and who still lives in Atlanta, explains, "Danny always enjoyed an especially delicious dish but was much too busy with his consulting career to actually collect great recipes. It was after he was diagnosed with ALS and restricted to a wheelchair for mobility that he began searching individual cookbooks and the food section of the Atlanta Constitution-Journal and choosing various recipes to give him more variety with his diet and to give him a much needed project. We had several caregivers over the 6-7 years who were willing to learn computer skills, and Danny taught them how to enter and organize the recipes. His weekly routine revolved around the searching for, cooking, rating and recording these recipes. We had just about every kind of mustard and vinegar that existed. We needed the exact ingredients to prepare the meals. Some of the meals took the entire day to grocery shop for and prepare, but they were almost always delicious.
"Even after Danny reached the stage where he needed his meals puréed, we still continued to follow the routine and enjoy the meals. I do not cook much anymore but when I do, I certainly have a wonderful source of recipes. I do have a wonderful Christmas dinner meal that Danny planned for our neighborhood Christmas party that I cook every year."
Danny wrote in the book, "Over a period of 20 years, my professional career gave me the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States as well as many other countries. This opportunity allowed me to experience a wide range of great tasting cuisines and unique food dishes.
"Internationally, there are many excellent tasting dishes encompassing different flavors, spices and textures. Some of these dishes have evolved over the years and become part of local tradition. Some are even recognized worldwide. Like many countries, the United States has a large number of unique and great tasting food specialties. In many cases, there are numerous local variations of a particular specialty, much less national variations. One of the advantages of traveling extensively is you get to sample many variations and determine which ones you really enjoy."
Danny, who died in 2001, had his favorites and some of these recipes are included here. These two cookbook volumes provide a food guide that encompasses a diverse collection of recipes for all occasions, formal, informal, special occasions, holidays, or just daily dining. They contain not only 978 recipes but also sections of valuable information and facts on cooking and serving foods that you do not find in other cookbooks. To mention a few: Syrup Guide, Common Ingredient Shelflife, Some Pear Facts, Flour Guide, Quality Blue Cheeses, plus 19 others. Only 10 copies have been printed thus far, for family members only.
What a legacy Danny Corbett has left for his family. For years to come "The Ultimate Cookbook" will bring to a gourmet many treats and a wealth of cooking knowledge each time it’s opened and used.