Historical Banqueting

Question 1

Ancient Banqueting Documentation

Answer 1

• Egyptians: Documented on the walls of tombs
• Greeks: Hor d’oeuvre trolley serving small portions, couches to lie on & eat, decorative arts & recipes.
• Romans: menu grew to 20 or more courses.

Question 2

Roman Banqueting Menu:

Answer 2

• Food sourced from Africa, Asia, Europe.
• Focused on entertainment (singers, actors, clowns, etc..)

Question 3

Foundation of the Modern Menu:

Answer 3

• 3 courses & up to 25 dishes per course
• Format was used into the 19th century & is also the basis of the buffet menu.
• Medieval 3 course menu

Question 4

18th Century:

Answer 4

• 1727 the banquet menu had 2 main courses & the third one was reduced to fruits, nuts, etc..

Question 5

19th Century:

Answer 5

• 1867 = reduced menu items & separated into menu categories
• organized into types of food items.
  => soups => intermediate course : mixed items => entrees: main items with sweet sorbet => rots: meats => Final course: vegetables, sweet, & fruits.

Question 6

American Feasts:

Answer 6

• required the host to provide the best quality foods, available in quantities too great to be eaten by number of invited guests.

Question 7

Banqueting in the white house:

Answer 7

George Washington based on the medieval three course menu with 26 dishes for the first course.
- Thomas Jefferson simplified the menu based on changes in the menu format in France.
- His contributions to the American cuisine:
=> tomatoes, olives, pasta, wine, vanilla flavoring, emphasized wine.