The Boastful Chef: The Discourse of Food in Ancient Greek Comedy by John Wilkins

This is a fascinating and original book, spiced with liberal quotations (all translated) from comic fragments alongside discussion of the plays of Aristophanes and Menander' -Greece andamp; Rome 'Offers a more multi-sided approach to ancient cooking and its practitioners than any other available' -Simon Goldhill, Times Literary Supplement 'A scholarly book' -Simon Goldhill, Times Literary SupplementThis is a book about Greek culture. It explains why Greek comedy picked out food in particular as a cultural marker. Hundreds of comic fragments are quoted in translation. The development of comedy is explored together with comic creativity as poets sought to represent 'reality' (figs or cooking-pots) on the stage.