During the 19th century, women authors were rarely credited for their work. Since this author is listed simply as "A Lady", we may never know who the actual author of this work was. The book features recipes and tips for both experienced and novice cooks and bakers: “What is termed in these receipts a quick oven, is one in which you could hold your hand no longer, than to count to twenty-five; in a slow oven you could hold your hand to count thirty. Any person accustomed to baking would not require the above rules.” (page 8) (Note: "receipts", here used for the modern word “recipes”, was recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary with this definition: “A formula or preparation made according to a formula. Now generally superseded in this branch by recipe n.” The earliest recorded usage was in 1398.)