2. Abstract

The focus of this work is collecting illuminations, document sources and archeological artifacts from turn of 13 and 14th century Spain and related al-Andalus area related to the dining rituals and habits of Christian, Jewish and Muslim population.

Well until late 18th century mass adoption of potatoes into cuisine the Europe was for ages on the verge of famine.

Be it feasts celebrating the times of plenty, religious feasts, representative dining at royal and noble courts, townsfolk and artisanal festivities, or just daily routine, food and culture of dining was necessary piece of everyday life.

For some, dining and feasting was a favourite way to spend free time [VRDN]. And means of remembering, that enough food might quickly vanish.

Alfonso X in [SP] mentions eating and drinking to provide a support for people to be healthy and strong to achieve their goals. As a bad example he mentions people who live only to drink and eat, and proposes being moderate.

Collective dining in family is a ritual and it’s tightly connected to faith, national, tribe and family habits.

Medieval Spain was populated by three distinct cultures - Christian, Muslim and Jewish.

Turn of Roman dining habits into Christian dining rites made a shift both in local family life and royal life. The institude of monasteries feeding travellers and poor in their refectories allowed proliferation of hygiene, christian dining habits and culinary recipes into wide culture.

Later 14th century European books describe dining rituals to unprecedented details.

Jewish dining is illustrated in books of Haggada - Passover and recipes are documented in andalusian cookbooks.

There are plenty of sources documenting frequent cultural exchanges of Spanish muslim population with Syria, Egypt and Morocco.