[Sca-cooks] Broke fast last night

[JIMCHEVAL at aol.com]

The word goes back to Rome and has had various connotations over the  
centuries, from exuberant rejoicing to observing (solemnly) a sacred day. This  
source says that "abundant meal" became a meaning in the 14th century; but 
the  Romans seem to have enjoyed their feasts in a fairly hearty way as well.
 
"  
_feast  (n.)_ 
(http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=feast&allowed_in_frame=0)   (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=feast)  
c.1200,  "religious anniversary characterized by rejoicing" (rather than 
fasting), from  Old French feste (12c., Modern French fête) "religious 
festival; noise, racket," from Vulgar  Latin *festa (fem. singular; also source of  
Italian festa, Spanish fiesta), from Latin festa "holidays, feasts," noun 
use of neuter  plural of festus "festive, joyful, merry," related  to feriae 
"holiday" and fanum "temple," from PIE *dhes- "root  of words in religious 
concepts" [Watkins]. The spelling -ea- was used  in Middle English to 
represent the sound we mis-call "long e." Meaning "abundant  meal" (whether public 
or private) is from late 14c."
_http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=feast_ 
(http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=feast) 
 
 
Jim  Chevallier
www.chezjim.com

Newly translated from Pierre Jean-Baptiste  Le Grand d'Aussy:
Eggs, Cheese and Butter in Old Regime France 
 
 
In a message dated 2/26/2013 1:43:45 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
lcm at jeffnet.org writes:

Modernly  
it sort of means 'eat whatever the hell you want' day. In the 8th c, it  
meant 'you can have more food, and fancier food, but still no animal  
food'.