The First Fool

The first recipe for a fool as we know it today is Eliza Smith’s Strawberry or Raspberry Fool in her delightful book The Compleat Housewife, first published in 1727 (see the notes about the recipe). The fruit is squeezed and orange flower water is added, then cream. The recipe is simple and straightforward and could be made by any cook today. Eliza Smith does not give a recipe for a trifle.