Aguecheek's Beef, Belch's Hiccup, and Other Gastronomic Interjections: Literature, Culture, and Food Among the Early Moderns

Robert Appelbaum examines how early modern Europeans transformed their relationship with food through language and culture. This study traces the origins of cutlery, haute cuisine, and weight-loss diets within that specific historical context. The author draws on diverse sources including cookbooks and comic novels to explore these developments. The book analyzes both the elevated ideals of culinary art and its more grotesque or ridiculous expressions. Appelbaum illustrates a world where food functioned as a symbol of prestige and sociability while also serving as a cause for religious and economic struggle. The text emphasizes the primacy of materiality in life during this period. Named after characters in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the work offers a vivid picture of how people put food into words and words into food. This volume suits readers interested in early modern literature or the history of food. It appeals to those who appreciate literary criticism focusing on Shakespeare and semiotics. The book may not suit casual cooks seeking practical recipes, as it includes only a handful for context. Appelbaum provides a scholarly look at how culinary culture evolved from its earliest roots.