Sadie Hirst

Food historian

Elizabeth was born in Doncaster and was not only responsible for writing what I believe to be the best cookbook of the Georgian era, but also an amazing business woman. She was housekeeper at Arley Hall in Cheshire, to the Warburton family for a number of years and then left with her husband and moved to Manchester. She ran a number of businesses and her cookbook is the first to include a recipe for Bride Cake, that has the combination of fruit cake, marzipan and icing. I find her recipes clear and concise and she is my first choice when wanting to recreate cookery from this period.

Regula Ysewijn

Food photographer, writer and graphic designer

A brilliant 18th century work, with cunning recipes like bacon and eggs in jelly (flummery), a birds nest in jelly, playing cards in jelly... Something many chefs today think they invented as something new and exciting. Her instructions are delightful and her history interesting. She can not fail from this list!

Geraldene Holt

Professional food writer and broadcaster

A superb volume from this talented cook and entrepreneur who overcame the limitations of an 18th century kitchen to produce beautifully written recipes for simple and elegant food.

Bridget Henisch

Medieval food historian

Peter Brears

Food historian

Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire

Lecturer in the Culinary Arts, Dublin Institute of Technology