September 3, 2008
Et boive petit a petit / Combien qu’elle ait grant appetit
She should take only small sips; even if she is thirsty, she should not guzzle in a single gulp from her goblet or cup, but rather in small sips, and often, so that others will not say she is swilling down greedily. She should not swallow the rim of her goblet as many wet-nurses do who are so simple-minded and gluttonous that they pour their wine into their belly as if they were filling an empty boot. She should avoid becoming drunk, because neither a drunk man nor a drunk woman can keep private counsel; besides, when a woman is drunk she can no longer protect herself; she prattles her thoughts and is open to everyone’s advances. She should keep herself from falling asleep at the table; it is really improper, and too many indecent things happen to those who let that happen. It doesn’t make sense to doze when you should be awake; many who do so end up falling to one side or the other, or backwards, and break their arm or ribs or crack their head.
—Roman de la Rose, via 18thC Cuisine
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It is probably good that I kept myself to a two-drink limit at the conference in San Francisco last week.
She should not swallow the rim of her goblet.
I’ll say.