Reviews
The greatest cookery book in our language.
Elizabeth David
Modern Cookery for Private Families
Author
Eliza Acton [+–]
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Edited by
Elizabeth Ray [+–]
Food Writer
Elizabeth Ray studied at the London School of Economics and was a social worker in London and Kent for many years. She has always been interested in domestic and social history, and has written several cookery books and a biography of Alexis Soyer, as well as contributing to such magazines as Homes and Gardens and À La Carte and writing a food column for The Sunday Telegraph. Elizabeth Ray is the widow of wine writer Cyril Ray (with whom she wrote Wine with Food.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original.
Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
Table of Contents
Preliminaries
Introduction [+–] v-vii
Food Writer
Elizabeth Ray studied at the London School of Economics and was a social worker in London and Kent for many years. She has always been interested in domestic and social history, and has written several cookery books and a biography of Alexis Soyer, as well as contributing to such magazines as Homes and Gardens and À La Carte and writing a food column for The Sunday Telegraph. Elizabeth Ray is the widow of wine writer Cyril Ray (with whom she wrote Wine with Food.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
Preface [+–] 1-3
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
Introductory Chapters [+–] 4-20
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Trussing and carving
1
Soups [+–] 21-57
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
2
Fish [+–] 58-88
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
3
Dishes of Shellfish [+–] 89-95
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
4
Gravies [+–] 96-104
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
5
Sauces [+–] 105-127
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
6
Cold Sauces and Salads [+–] 128-137
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
7
Store Sauces [+–] 138-146
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
8
Forcemeats [+–] 147-154
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
9
Boiling and Roasting [+–] 155-168
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
10
Beef [+–] 169-187
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
11
Veal [+–] 188-206
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
12
Mutton [+–] 207-217
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
13
Pork [+–] 218-230
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
14
Poultry [+–] 231-244
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
15
Game [+–] 245-256
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
16
Curries and Potted Meats [+–] 257-265
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
17
Vegetables [+–] 266-293
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
18
Pastry [+–] 294-318
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
19
Souffles and Omlets [+–] 319-332
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
20
Boiled Puddings [+–] 333-354
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
21
Baked Puddings [+–] 355-370
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
22
Eggs and Milk. [+–] 371-377
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
23
Sweet Dishes, or Entremets. [+–] 378-409
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
24
Preserves [+–] 410-439
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
25
Pickles [+–] 440-446
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
26
Cakes [+–] 447-464
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
27
Confectionary [+–] 465-469
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
28
Dessert Dishes [+–] 470-476
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
29
Syrups and Liqueurs [+–] 477-484
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
30
Coffee and Chocolate [+–] 485-490
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
31
Bread [+–] 491-498
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
32
Foreign and Jewish Cookery [+–] 499-512
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
End Matter
Vocabulary of Terms [+–] 513
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
Index [+–] 514-544
19th Century Poet and Cook
Elizabeth ‘Eliza’ Acton (1799 -1859) was an English poet and cook who produced one of the country’s first cookbooks aimed at the domestic reader rather than the professional cook or chef, Modern Cookery for Private Families. In this book she introduced the now-universal practice of listing the ingredients and suggested cooking times with each recipe. Isabella Beeton’s bestselling Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861) was closely modeled on it.
Modern Cookery for Private Families was first published in 1845. Eliza Acton expanded it ten years later, enlarging a number of sections and adding an interesting chapter on foreign and Jewish cookery. This reprint is of the expanded edition and includes all the splendid engravings of the original. Hers was one of the first cookery books specially written for the small household and she made sure that it was clear and easy to use. No one before her had thought of adding a list of ingredients, with the time taken to cook them, at the end of each recipe. Her instructions are always elegant, straightforward and concise. So anyone who wants to cook from it 175 years later will find that Modern Cookery for Private Families presents no problems. Here they will see the very best of English cookery untainted by the over-elaboration of late 19th-century taste. Creating simple dishes to perfection was her aim – and she succeeded admirably. Indeed, Eliza Acton’s cookery is very much in accord with present-day ideas about food: good ingredients, cooked to preserve their taste and texture and served at just the right temperature. Many of her recipes for preserving and cake-making are familiar today. The revival of interest in classic English cookery, already under way, will be much assisted by this unabridged reprint. An Introduction by Elizabeth Ray, who has made a special study of the author, adds some substance to Miss Acton’s shadowy personal life.
