Fast and Feast

An engagingly written and fully illustrated book on medieval attitudes toward food, its preparation and presentation. Few readers with an interest in food will fail to find this book both informative and entertaining.

Since attitudes toward food were shaped by the religious and social ideas of the period, the medieval perspective is clearly developed for the modern reader and, in turn, sheds light on the character of life in the Middle Ages. The subject is explored from the varied points of view of all concerned: host, guest, cook, and servant.

The author drew her material from many primary sources: devotional literature, sermons, courtesy books, recipe collections, household accounts, chronicles, and romances. Most of the documentary material comes from works written in England during the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, but there is some reference to those of other periods and other countries.

'A fascinating narrative of food and life five centuries ago... this book is highly recommended to dietitians, nutritionists, lovers of food history, and students of medieval life and literature.'-Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Bridget Ann Henisch is author of Medieval Armchair Travels and Cakes and Characters, and co-author of The Photographic Experience, 1839-1914 (Penn State).