| Show Fashions in F Food oad Today and Yesterday HE history of ot food tood forms torms an Illuminating illuminating THE study for In Its various phases and fashions can be bo rea reatho read reach tho development of ot civilized man Periods Pe Po- Po- Po nods of ot savagery saas and epochs of ot de decadence decadence decadence de- de cadence are aro reflected in the stylo style and manner of ot their eating that which Is true of ot individuals Is equally equall truo true of ot nations for tor given s-Iven a n. knowledge e of or their taste In food we havo have sufficient knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- ed edge o of or their character In general According to ancient records kings and queens frequently set tho the fashion Cashion in dishes but their own idea of ot what was good In that direction was In Itself ott often n a a. fair Indication of or tho the spirit of ot the time Thus the custom set by Edward Edward Elward Ed Ed- El- El ward III of or England of combining his feasts with tourneys tournes and making love-making reflects tho chivalric tendencies of ot his time while the magnificence which Is II of ot the prosperous days of ot Elizabeth Is e exemplified In the tho sev- sev day p pageants cants and entertainments entertainments entertain entertain- ments monts which accompanied the receptions receptions recep recep- accorded to the queen by h her r faithful subjects SPARTAN SIMPLICITY It is interesting to turn from tho the consideration con con- of ot festivals such as ns those to tho the simplicity observed b by the tho great Creat Spartan generals and tho the philosophers of or Greece at her noblest period It would scorn that epochs of ot national prosperity aro are marked by one or other of at the two extremes either b by the tho ut utmost utmost utmost ut- ut most severity or b by a corresponding frugality both seem to bo be equally fa favorable ta- ta to pre eminence in war and In Inthe inthe the tho arts so that there is little or no moral to be deduced In either case Excess however can with fair certainty certain certain- t ty be considered as Indicative of ot th tha j downward path the tho case of ot the tho twelve twelve- hour dinners said sald to haze haie been partaken partaken partaken par par- taken of ot dally daily b by the Emperor Naro bearing this theory theor out When hen th the tho newspapers give Ivo us accounts of ot elaborate elaborate elaborate orate freak banquets of our OUI own based on some somo fantastic idea and worked out with infinite infinito care and detail we arc aio apt to forget foret that from time Imm immemorial immemorial morial mo- mo rial food has appealed to man as lS a a. medium medium medium me me- for displaying a pretty wit and an Imaginative outlook on tho serious busIn business bus bus- In mess iness ss of life The Tho middle ages Des havo have sent Bent down to posterity Ity accounts of ot great culinary efforts as precious precious' In conception as asan an any which our latter da day might devise A dinner given hen en b by Philip tho the Good in n the tho middle of ot the tho fifteenth century had for tor It its picco do de resistance resistance resist resist- ance anco a culinary effort eUort s set t out In tho form torm of or a castle castlo In a state of ot sl siege c. c Moat and trench and ditch and lake were completed by the figures of ot foot toot soldiers and of ot horsemen and not only cooks coolis but craftsmen of ot many another calling must have been called upon to give their aid ald ELABORATE DECORATIONS On another o occasion slon the took tho the form of ot a church complete with steeple and elaborate windows wIndow while hUe the Interior had Its organ and Its ita choristers Tho The landscape In which th the th church was was set had Its its' wild animals and Its appropriate plant life Chariots of or blue and gold contained the smaller dishes of ot food and these were moved along tho the tables s by means of ot a a. mechanical ical device concealed b below low Strange beasts appeared between tho courses to enliven tho the proceedings Could the modern mind have o conceived any more fantastic Idea These methods of or a Adorning the dinner table recall to mind the tho Roman habit of ot Invariably placing In In the centre of oc or the board a bowl of ot roses as emblematic emblematic emblem emblem- of ot the rule of ot silence to be ob observed observed ob- ob served later b by the tho io regard ob-l ob to all topics brought brough t under discussion during tho the meal meal hence hence the term sub rosa rose It is 18 said that tho the rose which so often forms tho decoration of ot cellInS's cell- cell ings InS's and of ot cornices owes Its Us origin to this source It Is amusing to Im Imagine inn inn- agine ag how astonished the ancients ancient would h have havo n been could they but have seen tho the uses to which their traditions traditions I and their myths were r put by j tho the Elizabethan chef who in tho the general general general gen gen- eral fashion of ot iris his time drew his inspiration In In- Inspiration from the classical His HI cakes bore detailed representations of ot such subjects as the Fall of or Troy or the loves of ot Venus and Mars or whatever theme thema was most germane germane to to to the the characters characters characters char char- of or the festivities in general And yet et tho epoch that Indulged 1 In ip such superb refinements as aa classical en entrees entrees entrees en- en trees and m mythological sweetmeats was WaIl tho the same that used thick slice of ot bread for tor plates and in which meat was as eaten without the tho help of ot af fork by all except tho the most luxurious I |
