Deftly blending the decorative arts and social history, this lavishly illustrated volume is the only book to survey the changing styles of fine dining and tableware from the 16th century to today. Introductory sections on dining ceremony and furnishings set the scene, after which the book follows the structure of a grand dinner, progressing from cocktails to dessert. Focusing on the many decorative objects that stylish eating and drinking have inspired through the ages, the book is an important visual resource of luxurious period table settings, accurately re-created down to the last detail in the specially taken photographs. Fine individual pieces of glass, silver, and porcelain from the V&A's unparalleled collections offer a look at every manner of fine dining, from medieval banquets to fashionable 21st-century restaurants.
