 Modern Cookery for Private Families is an English cookery book by Eliza Acton ( 1799 – 1859 ) . It was first published by Longmans in 1845 , and was a best @-@ seller , running through 13 editions by 1853 , though its sales were later eclipsed by Mrs Beeton . On the strength of the book , Delia Smith called Acton " the best writer of recipes in the English language " , and in the same vein Elizabeth David called Modern Cookery " the greatest cookery book in our language " . 
