Blurb:

How do adults play with their food? This presentation explores ways intricate rule-based food practices give rise to play. It begins with two particularly curious and little-known historical examples of rule-driven dining rituals (enigmatical menus and conundrum socials), and continues by exploring three more puzzle-inspired foodways (speakeasies, scripture cakes, and assiettes parlantes or talking plates). There are other examples of
course, and I hope some will emerge in discussion. But these five offer strong evidence of ways adults have relied on rule-based rituals as thematic prompts for recipe and menu development, as well as to script conversations over food and to make meaning of their meals.