Regula Ysewijn

Food photographer, writer and graphic designer

https://www.missfoodwise.com

Biography

Regula Ysewijn is a graphic designer turned food photographer. She was born and raised in Antwerp where she went to art school and taught herself to cook with the help of Jamie Oliver's Naked Chef. In her photography she likes to play with natural light and is inspired by Dutch and Flemish Renaissance paintings. She travels in Europe and Britain in particular for her photography and writing assignments. What defines her is her love for British culture and history, a passion she has nurtured since childhood. Her debut book Pride and Pudding tells the story of the British pudding with historical recipes. She is also the editor of the blog Miss Foodwise, which is dedicated to the subject of British food, food production and culture.

English Food

Jane Grigson

This book can not fail from this list for the same reasons Florence White's can't be missing. Grigson and David changed the way we write about food.

Good Things in England

Florence White

She didn't only publish this book, she also published others and founded the English Folk Cookery Association. This book combines the then rather forgotten foods of England and was my first book containing historical recipes. It is therefore also special for personal reasons.

Cooking and Dining in Medieval England

Peter Brears

An absolute must read if you want to know about medieval foodways. Brears illustrates his words which makes it far easier to grasp as a non-academic. A masterpiece.

Spices Salt & Aromatics in the English Kitchen

Elizabeth David

How can you not love it, beautifully written, a lot of history. David and Grigson changed the way we write about food.

The Experienced English Housekeeper

Elizabeth Raffald

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!

Modern Cookery for Private Families

Eliza Acton

Where do I start? Her fantastic writing as if you are reading a novel? Her clear views agains adulterated food and the use of chemicals? The fact that although she clearly loved France, she also respected and loved British food and culture? She should have been remembered, not Mrs Beeton.

The Gentle Art of Cookery

CF Leyel

During a time when people were leaning towards French cooking this book with English as well as French and arabian inspired dishes was showing an imagination and colourful world. It is a delight to see so many dishes so early on in this book.

A Shilling Cookery for the People

Alexis Soyer

Written during Victorian times, and mentioning lots about the life of plain folk living in London. You almost walk the streets with him, you sit with him in the dark cottage where he shows an old lady how to braise an ox cheek. the book is full of stories as well as recipes. And shows a cooking which is aimed at the lower class rather than the upper class which had dominated cookery books for the centuries before.

English Bread and Yeast Cookery

Elizabeth David

Oh what a delightful book full of English bread history and heritage. This must be my fav David book. A book with recipes and a good read, just how I like my books.

Fancy Ices

Agnes B. Marshall

A glorious book on ice puddings by one of the two ladies fit to carry their contemporary Mrs Beeton's crown. Mrs Marshall can not be missed from this list, I would add her MRs A.B Marshall's Cookery Book too if I had the space.

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What's playing in Regula's kitchen?

I like complete silence, especially since my radio broke.