Week 8: Eating and Manners
Readings:
Reay Tannahill, Food in History, pp. 174-195 (Chap. 13: “The Medieval Table”)
Margaret Visser, The Rituals of Dinner, pp. 146-155, 167-196, 208-210, 284-295 (“Taking Note of Our Surroundings,” “Fingers,” “Chopsticks,” “Knives, Forks, Spoons,” discussion of hamburgers, plus notes on pp. 366-9, 373-4)
Images:
Kitchen and bakery from Stirling Castle, Scotland (late 15th or 16th century):
kitchen cauldrons
another view of kitchen, with table and fireplace
crowded workspace
some kitchen workers
bakers at work
St. Louis sends food to paupers’ table (French, from Life of St. Louis, 14th cent.)
from the Luttrell Psalter (England, c. 1325-35):
the cook
kitchen boys turning the spit
detail of servant
the Luttrells at table
detail of women eating
washing hands at table, from the ‘Vows of the Peacock’ (c. 1300-1325)
Depictions of food preparation, service, and eating:from the Maciejowski Bible (made in Paris for Louis IX, 1244 x 1254):
King David hosts a feast
detail: tableware
detail: panter slicing bread
detail: drinking cup
detail: carved table-end
what’s under the tablecloth?
The Duc du Berry at table, from Les très riches heures du Duc de Berry: January (1412-16):
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Limbourg_brothers_-_Les_tr%C3%A8s_riches_heures_du_Duc_de_Berry_-_January_%28detail%29_-_WGA13017.jpg
Take a medieval food quiz here, and another medieval food quiz here
Fish knives and forks
Sir John Betjeman’s poem on “How to get on in Society” (1958, beginning: “Phone for the fish knives, Norman,” 1:35 min.):
with drawing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48945812@N07/4705367405/sizes/l/in/photostream/
full text: http://everything2.com/title/How+To+Get+On+In+Society
“This, lads, is a fish knife” (New Statesman, 5 Feb. 2007):
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2007/02/development-course-officer
(If the above website is unavailable, used this archived version instead:)
https://web.archive.org/web/20150618211738/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2007/02/development-course-officer
Videos:
Chinese dining etiquette (5:29 min.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkyE2rPac3s
Modern Japanese table manners (5:03 min.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhs30vkXlAE
Eating scene, from “Tom Jones” (3:31 min.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tezjznL9NzM
“Are they difficult?” scene from “Gigi,” in which Aunt Alicia teaches Gigi to eat ortolans (film, 1958, with Leslie Caron in title role, 3:28 min.):
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/97885/Gigi-Movie-Clip-Are-They-Difficult-.html
“My Fair Lady”: dialogue at Ascot (film, 1964, with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn, 3:07 min.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uozGujfdS0
Emily Post, “Table Manners” (1947; 10:07 min.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAPcnZAJanE
King of Queens, “Hungry Man” clip (1:13 min.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unXKYK0uRJ8
“Food Ad Tricks” (from Buy Me That! produced by Consumer Reports© Television, 1989?, 2:59 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUjz_eiIX8k
A food stylist shows how to style a hamburger to look good on TV