Eliza Acton

Eliza Acton was an English food writer and poet who produced one of Britain's first cookery books aimed at the domestic reader, Modern Cookery for Private Families. The book introduced the now-universal practice of listing ingredients and giving suggested cooking times for each recipe. It included the first recipes in English for Brussels sprouts and for spaghetti. It also contains the first recipe for what Acton called "Christmas pudding"; the dish was normally called plum pudding, recipes for which had appeared previously, although Acton was the first to put the name and recipe together.

17 April 1799

Born on the same birth day (17 April): Chris Barber • George Davis (art director) • Herms Niel • Hervé Bazin • James Last • Jean-Baptiste Accolay • Josif Pančić • Lorna Fitzgerald • Marguerite Bourgeoys • Pedro de Valdivia • Ronald Hamowy • Sirimavo Bandaranaike

Born in the same month (April 1799): Henri Druey • Jacques Denys Choisy • Joseph Dart