In America it's Fannie Farmer and when I live in England it's Elizabeth Craig who I look to for advice and tips and recipes. Of course!
I'm very keen on housewifery in general. I love collecting household management books as well as books on baking and cooking. I find them not only useful but very attractive in my kitchen too. Each have their own tips and techniques that I really always find them terribly advantageous!
And well! seeing as I'm in Hampshire once again I thought I'd write a little here about Ms. Craig and share one of my favorite recipes of hers.
Elizabeth Josephine Craig was born in Addiewell, Scotland in 1883. She attended Forfar school and afterwards studied journalism at George Watson's ladies' college. She returned to her childhood school once again but as a teacher. Her first recipes were published in 1920 in the Daily Express. She was hailed by the Daily Mail editor as "the only woman on fleet street who could cook." This was encouraging for Elizabeth and there was such a rise in her cooking and baking acclaim that she published more and recipes and became well known among the best restaurants throughout England and France. This is such an amazing accomplishment from someone who was self taught to cook and bake beginning at the age of six, with her mother looking on over Elizabeth's shoulder and "guiding" her. Her only formal training was a three month cookery course in Dundee as a teenager.
Ms. Craig published many books after the great war not only on cookery and baking but also on household management and gardening. She did so well into the 1980s. She wrote, quite successfully, books on recipes whilst rationing in WWII and even married an American war correspondent.
She too admired being a housewife with still her other pursuits on the side like many of us today who juggle many vocations these days! That's just one reason I admire Elizabeth Craig so much.
