Born in a small toll-bridge town on the salt road between Salzburg and the Augsburg, Bavaria, Emilia was married to one of the ancestors of the great trading family of the Fugger. Unfortunately her husband was killed in an avalanche, Emilia found herself alone with five children to try and support. She found work as a cook and over time became renowned for being one of the greatest cooks in all of Bavaria.

It was while on a trip to Prague where she was teaching she was requested to supervise the wedding banquet for Sir Harry de Brechin and his impeding wife Lady Paulina Valois. A few years later Emilia was struggling to make ends meet, for war and plague had ravaged Europe, money was scarce and no one could afford lavish banquets anymore. Her fortune changed when she received a letter from Sir Harry informing her that he would like to use her services to prepare a feast for the wedding of one of Sir Harry's friends Sir Aidan de Culter. Sir Harry was in Europe on business with Sir Andreas of Thurso and both knights would escort Emilia and her family to Scotland.

Lady Eleanor de Culter was so impressed with Emilia's skills that she offered Emilia permanent employment as her cook. Emilia was happy to do so for she had nothing to back to in Europe and her children seemed to like Scotland, its rolling hills reminded them of Bavaria. After a while Emilia was able to set up her home within the Gordon lands were the de Culter's lived in nearby Drum.  Emilia helped support Sir Aidan by becoming a suttler while the Scottish forces were on campaign. After Bannockburn Emilia concentrated on supporting her children, she did not allow her three boys to fight in the wars for they were too young, Sir Aidan suggested that they take service in his friend Sir Andreas of Thurso's household their they would be trained properly which one day could save their life.

Emilia and her two daughter's often visited Emilia's sons and it was during these visits that her oldest daughter met and married Michael of Cromarty and her youngest daughter likewise met and married David de Brownhill. Eventually Emilia left the service of the de Culter's, too old to carry out such heavy duties, she settled down to a quiet life at her home near the loch of Leys, visited by her children and grandchildren.