Elizabeth Josephine Craig, MBE, FRSA (16 February 1883 – 7 June 1980) was a Scottish journalist, home economist and a notable author on cookery.

Early life and family Elizabeth Craig was born on 16 February 1883 in Addiewell, West Lothian to Catherine Anne Nicoll (died 3 March 1929) and Reverend John Mitchell Craig. Craig was one of eight children and her father was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. The family lived at the Manse in Memus, Kirriemuir, Scotland.BBC Archives – Elizabeth Craig's appearance on Parkinson

She attended Forfar Academy and George Watson's Ladies' College in Edinburgh before returning to Forfar Academy as a teacher.

Journalism Craig's writing career began in Dundee where she studied journalism.The Times, "The Times Diary – Campari and pie with the chaps", 14 February 1973. She first published a cookery feature in the Daily Express in 1920, following comments from the Daily Mail'''s film editor, who declared she was "the only woman in Fleet Street who could cook".Eastern Evening News, "Kathleen Burke's View – Elizabeth Craig's new book", 5 June 1968 Craig was a founding member of the International P.E.N., and at the request of the founder, Catharine Dawson Scott, attended the first meeting of the association at the Florence Restaurant in London where John Galsworthy was elected its first president.Obituary for Elizabeth Craig, The Times, 25 June 1980

Cooking Craig started to cook when she was six years old and began collecting recipes from age 12.As note 2, above She declared that the only formal training she had in cookery was a "three months course in Dundee".As note 1, above She began publishing cookery books after the end of World War I and proceeded through World War II and into 1980. She began writing in times when food was scarce and rationing was heavily relied upon, and her focus broadened when the majority of households had a refrigerator and an opportunity to access a much wider variety of foods: this can be observed in her writing as more diverse dishes appear in her later books.

Her contribution to English culinary literature comprises a very large corpus of traditional British recipes, although not only this: included are also a considerable collection of recipes from other countries which she liked to collect during visits abroad.Craig, Elizabeth Cooking with Elizabeth Craig, ed. 1949. London: Collins; p.3 (there are many earlier editions, 1930s and 1940s) From the foreword (To those who like to cook): "I have tried to cater for all those who write to me, not only from home but from abroad ... for those who like English fare, and for those who, through travelling, have developed a cosmopolitan taste. Personally, I take great interest in all cuisines. Every time I have been to Paris, to Germany, I have picked up ideas to introduce to my table. In Canada and the United States, I shamelessly purloined not only treasured recipes but new methods of serving food ..."

Personal life Craig's engagement to American war correspondent and broadcaster Arthur E. Mann (died 9 June 1973) of Washington, D.C., was announced on 11 August 1919, and they were married at St Martin in the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square.The Times, "Forthcoming Marriages", 11 August 1919.

Publications

Cookery books19?? The Woman's Journal Cookery Book19?? Elizabeth Craig's Menus for a Year19?? Elizabeth Craig's Springtime Cookery Book (The People's Friend)1923 The Stage Favourites' Cook Book1932 New Standard Cookery Illustrated1932 Cooking with Elizabeth Craig1932 The Up-to-Date Cookery Book1933 Madeira: wine, cakes and sauce (In collaboration with André L. Simon)1933 Entertaining with Elizabeth Craig (Illustrated by Herry Perry)1934 Cakes and Candies: How to make them (Calendar with recipes)Published by G Delgado Ltd as a weekly calendar, three recipes per week1934 The Vicomte in the Kitchen (Georges, Vicomte de Mauduit's Cookery Book; introductions by Elizabeth Craig and Frances, Countess of Warwick)"Mauduit's cookery book: the vicomte in the kitchen / the art of cooking, preserving, eating, and drinking; with the manner how to make simple dishes; all kinds of banqueting stuffs, of the wines to be drunk with them; and of sauces, syrups, and jams. Also a selection of recipes from many continents, countries, and counties; together with many economic and distinguished novelties; with finally a choice of menus for all occasions, seasons, purses, and moods / by Vicomte de Mauduit". London: S. Nott, 1934. A cheap edition was issued by James Clarke in 1937. For Georges Mauduit de Kervern, Vicomte, 1893-1940s, see: here ) 1934 Elizabeth Craig's Standard Recipes1934 Wine in the Kitchen1934 Elizabeth Craig's Economical Cookery1934 Elizabeth Craig's Simple Cooking1935 Elizabeth Craig's Family Cookery: a new standard economical cookery on comprehensive lines1935 Elizabeth Craig's Everyday Cooking1936 Cookery Illustrated and Household Management1936 Woman, Wine and a Saucepan1936 Bubble and Squeak1937 278 Tested Recipes1940 Cooking in War-Time1940 Cookery: a Time-Saving Cook Book1940 1500 Everyday Menus1950 Cooking for Today1952 Elizabeth Craig's Practical Cooking1953 Court Favourites; Recipes from Royal Kitchens1955 Beer and 1956 The Scottish Cookery Book (see also 1980)1956 A Book of Mediterranean Food1957 Instructions to Young Cooks1957 Collins Family Cookery (see also 1971)1958 Scandinavian Cooking1959 A Cook's Guide to Wine1960 Cottage Cheese and Yogurt1962 Banana Dishes1965 What's Cooking in Scotland1965 The Penguin Salad Book1965 Cook Continentale1969 The Art of Irish Cooking1970 The Business Woman's Cookbook1971 Collins Family Cookery (see also 1957)1978 Elizabeth Craig's Hotch Potch1980 The Scottish Cookery Book (see also 1956)

Promotional recipe books Unknown dates19?? More Everyday Dishes (Tate & Lyle Sugars & Syrups)19?? Primula Presents Recipes by Elizabeth Craig19?? The Kikkoman Book of Recipes19?? 101 Recipes and Uses for Malt Vinegar (Malt Vinegar Brewers Association)

Known dates1930 250 Recipes for use with Borwick's Baking Powder1932 New Ways of using Custard (Foster Clark Ltd)1934 The Importance of Eating Potatoes (Potato Marketing Board)1937 The Way to a Good Table: electric cookery (British Electrical Development Association)1938 (circa) Cooking Made Easier (Foster Clark Ltd – c. 1938)1940 OxO Meat Cookery! The Oxo Way1940 Slim While You Eat, a calendar with over 100 recipes1949 (circa) Elizabeth Craig's Invalid Recipe Book (Benger's Food Limited – c. 1949)1949 Chicken in the Kitchen1954 Waterless Cooking (Milbro Vapour Seal Waterless Cookers)

Books on housekeeping and gardening 1936 Elizabeth Craig's Simple Housekeeping1936 The Housewives' Monthly Calendar1936 Keeping House with Elizabeth Craig1937 Modern HousekeepingModern Housekeeping – scan of undated edition, via flipsnack.com1937 Elizabeth Craig's Household Library (1937 onwards)1938 Elizabeth's Craig's Simple Gardening1940 Gardening with Elizabeth Craig (Gardening in wartime)1941 Elizabeth Craig's Needlecraft1947 Housekeeping: a book for the single-handed housewife1947 1000 Household Hints1948 Gardening with Elizabeth Craig; new edition1950 Elizabeth Craig's Enquire Within1952'' Elizabeth Craig's Practical Gardening

References