| Birth: | 1799 | | Death: | 1859 | 
Cookery writer, inspiration for Isabella Beeton and, more recently, Delia Smith.Eliza was born in Battle, Sussex, but moved to Ipswich when Eliza was an infant. Upon reaching adulthood she opened a school for girls, but poor health led to her spending recuperative time in France. After a failed affair, she wrote love poetry which was published in 1826. The following year she moved to Tonbridge, Kent, and in 1845 published Modern Cookery for Private Families, which proved hugely successful.Her talents for poetry and recipes joined in the following letter to her sister:
'If you want a good pudding, to teach you I'm willing;
Take two pennyworth of eggs, when twelve for a shilling,
And of the same fruit, that Eve once had chosen,
Well pared and well chopped, at least half a dozen;
Six ounces of bread – let your maid eat the crust,
The crumbs must be grated as small as the dust;
Six ounces of currants from the stones you must sort,
Lest they break out your teeth, and spoil all your sport;
Six ounces of sugar won't make it too sweet,
Some salt and some nutmeg will make it complete;
Three hours let it boil, without hurry or flutter,
And then serve it up, without sugar or butter.'
Eliza also wrote for Dickens' magazine Household Words. Her book was usurped by Beeton's 'Book of Household Management' in 1861, although Beeton borrowed 150 recipes from Eliza. Delia Smith has used Acton recipes in her own works.
| | | Burial:
St John-at-Hampstead Churchyard
Hampstead
Greater London, England |
Created by: Mark McManus
Record added: Feb 19, 2009
Find A Grave Memorial# 33994049 |
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