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In Greece and Italy: Cheesecakes

In Greece and Italy "But praise the cheesecakes which from Athens come; And if there are none, still of any country Cheesecakes are to be eaten; also ask For Attic Honey, the feasts' crowning dish - For that it is which makes a banquet noble."

Antiphanes, in his "Lemnian Women," thus feelingly does justice to the subject: - "A three-legg'd table now is laid, and on it A luscious cheesecake, O ye honored gods, And this year's honey in a silver dish."

Cheesecakes steeped in honey or covered with honey were regarded with great favor for dessert, and we are informed of the manner in which a guest should express appreciation at a well-ordered table: "One of the guests would say of the dessert (which was the second course) as Euripides says in his 'Cretan Women,' - ""Certainly, second thoughts are much the best; For what now can the table want? or what Is there with which it is not amply loaded ? 'Tis full of fish fresh from the sea, besides Here's tender veal, and dainty dishes of goose, Tartlets, and cheesecakes steeped most thoroughly In the rich honey of the golden bee.'" Right here let us turn for a moment from the feast of Athenæus to enjoy one of Martial's witty epigrams, written to Charinus : - "Thirty times in this one year, Charinus, while you have been arranging to make your will, have I sent you cheesecakes dripping with Hyblæan thyme. I am ruined: have pity on me at length, Charinus. Make your will less often, or do that once for all for which your cough is ever falsely leading us to hope. I have emptied my coffers and my purse. Had I been richer than Crœsus, Charinus, I should become poorer than Irus, if you so frequently devoured my poor repast." The dessert, or second course, was a lighter but very important part of the meal, at which was often served the more delicate meats, game, birds, fish, beans, and other delicacies. "Eggs, too, often formed a part of the second course, as did hares and thrushes, which were served up with honeycakes." Thrushes and other small birds were frequently covered with honey, and Plato in his "Phaon" - so Athenæus tells us speaks of "A vigorous cheesecake, and a pregnant mealcake, And sixteen thrushes whole, well smear'd with honey." The delectable nature of thrushes served with honey is thus graphically set forth by Telechides, "But roasted thrushes with sweet cheese-cakes served Flew of their own accord down the guests' throats."

From Athenæus we learn that Ephippus in his "Cydon" gives the following details of a very substantial dessert : "And after supper they served up some kernels, Vetches, and beans, and groats, and cheese, and honey, Sweetmeats of various kinds, and cakes of sesame, And pyramidical rolls of wheat, and apples, Nuts, milk, hempseed too, and shell-fish, Syrup, the brains of Jove."

Nichochares in his " Handicraftsmen" boasts, - "I've loaves, and barley-cakes, and bran, and flour, And rolls, oblias, and honey'd cheese-cakes, Epichyti, ptisan, and common cheese-cakes, Dendalides, and fried bread;" In Greece and Italy giving one a desire to step in and buy, out of curiosity if for no other reason, at least a few of those strange-sounding edibles.