The 29 papers of the 2003 Symposium range over wide territory, from historical studies such - as baby-food in the Middle Ages and feeding the poor in the 19th century - to surveys of food in West Africa and the Philippines. Bringing us up to date are essays on the impact of fast food culture in America, and the counter-attack by the Slow Food movement. Fictional aspects of food are examined too, including literary picnics, fairy tales and meals in Utopia. The papers are edited by Richard Hosking. The papers comprise the proceedings of the 21st Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery, the longest running food history conference in the world.