Interesting look through the centuries on the importance a gathering of people around food has on the community and a leader's role in commanding his tribe or kingdom. Some of the feasts were excessive and were put on as a show of power. Some of the rituals from these feasts of old have carried over to present day, such as a waiter sweeping crumbs off the table before dessert.

Interesting material on the types of foods that were served during feasts across Greece, Rome, England and China, the difference between food for presentation and food that was meant to be eaten (this brought to my mind today's plastic food in front of restaurants made popular by the Japanese), what they did with the leftovers, and the distinction between food served to guests-of-honor sitting on the high table, and food served to general guests.

Apart from the food preparations and service over the years, we're also treated to anecdotes of people who were set on fire during a feast, details of the entertainment accompanying feasts and fights that have broken out during feasts.

Good fun read. ( )

A nice review of feasting and how dishes were served. ( )

This book, written by a food writer and accomplished chef/caterer, was a diverting look at some of the most notable (and elaborate) feasts in history. Anyone who has succumbed to the shameful pleasures of watching “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” or reading about the extravagant parties thrown by Hollywood celebrities will enjoy this account of some of the most grotesque excesses of conspicuous consumption. From Persian feasts spread on real gold carpets to Edward VII’s coronation banquet (which had to be postponed due to the monarch’s severe attack of appendicitis, leaving tons of luxury foods with no one to eat them), the average person will be left gasping at both the inventiveness and the “spare no expense” over the top display of the spectacular and the bizarre of these truly Lucullan celebrations. Here is part of the grocery list for the great feast given in September 1465 to celebrate the elevation of George Neville to the Archbishopric of York:
Oxen, one hundred and foure
Wild Bull, six
Muttons, one thousand
Veales, three hundred and four
Porkes, three hundred and four
Swannes, four hundred
Geese, five thousand
Capons, seven thousand
Piggs, three thousand
Plovers, foure hundred
Quails, one hundred dozen
Peacocks, foure hundred
Mallards and Teales, foure thousand
Chickens, three thousand
Conyes [rabbits] foure thousand
Stags, Bucks, and Roes, five hundred and foure
This list is purposely incomplete, as I’ve run out room, but altogether there were 41,833 items of meat and poultry laid on for this feast, with 62 cooks directing 515 scullions and kitchen helpers in preparing it. My stomach aches just thinking about those Himalayas of foodstuffs. ( )