Alice B. Toklas was an American-born member of the Parisian avant-garde of the early 20th century. She was best known as the life partner of Gertrude Stein, the American writer, poet, and art collector. Toklas was also a published writer in her own right, most notably for her 1954 memoir, The ALICE B. Toklas Cookbook. She was also a key figure in the development of modern art and literature in the early 20th century.