Formal vs Informal Table

'The Mediterranean tradition of eating is that a range of small dishes are placed on the table and shared by everyone. This is a reminder of the days when everyone would eat from the same pot.'

Elisabeth Luard (Saffron and Sunshine)

Informal meals invoke a sense of conviviality and friendship which has ancient roots. Those who eat the same food, smell right to each other; it all goes back to the cave. This informalization can be characterised in terms of the emerging but also in terms of the past.

Cas Wouters (Formalization and Informalization)

These quotes are helpful in creating an understanding of the nature of the meal and its significance in human interaction.