Raffald, Elizabeth- The English Housekeeper, for the Use and Ease of Ladies Housekeepers, Cooks &.: Written Purely from Practice- London: T. Wilson and R. Spence, Printers, 1806, a new edition, 8 vo, leather spine with gilt lettering, portrait frontispiece and 3 folding illustrations, one of a stove and the other two of place settings, edges slightly worn, some foxing on pages otherwise good condition. This celebrated text of English cookery was first published in 1769. It is dedicated to Lady Elisabeth Warburton to whom Raffald was employed as a housekeeper for fifteen years at Arley Hall, Cheshire. Elizabeth Raffald led an extraordinary life for a woman of her time. In addition to being a housekeeper, she was a confectioner, an inn keeper, ran a cookery school for young ladies, founded a newspaper and compiled the first directory for the cit of Manchester, England, as well as being a wife and a mother to fifteen daughters. Her recipe book was so popular that it remained in print into the 19th century going through 13 editions. It includes recipes for simple meals to grand dinner parties and elaborate desserts.