Food historian and educator Noel Buttigieg will lead a series of four sessions entitled ‘Traditional foodways: An appetite for the past’, exploring selected artefacts from the refectory, kitchen and dining room at Palazzo Falson, Mdina.

One of the display cabinets in Palazzo Falson’s Refectory.

Each session will include stories about traditional Maltese practices of harvesting, food preservation, preparation and serving at the table. The sessions, which will be held at Palazzo Falson from 6.30 to 8pm, will start tomorrow and continue on February 12, 21 and 28. 

The first session tomorrow, entitled ‘Pleasures of Preserving’, draws its inspiration from harvesting scenes depicted on the Maiolica tiles of the fireplace at the palazzo’s taverna and from other artefacts used for the preservation processes of curing, salting, fermentation and drying for storage. 

The second session on February 12, entitled ‘Worth weighing: Cheat me not!’ focuses on the palazzo’s collection of weights and measures in the refectory, which reveal the need to value products that could not be counted by the piece. These measuring instruments were controlled by the authorities to provide accurate and fixed measures for the clients. But was cheating a common practice and was equilibrium achieved? 

The third session on February 21, entitled ‘Power of preparation practices’, takes place in the palazzo’s kitchen, which has an impressive display of traditional culinary cooking utensils covering the walls, including copper pots and pans, the authentic earthenware ‘Baqra’ for rabbit stew and the jelly moulds with the Maltese Cross. 

The last session on February 28, entitled ‘Conflicting Culinary Consumption’, compares the refectory, where traditional Maltese food was consumed in the terracotta taverna, with the fine dining experience of the palazzo’s dining room, with its exquisite display of rare silverware and glassware. Stories of curious objects will be explored in detail.

‘Traditional foodways: An appetite for the past’ will be held at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, Villegaignon Street, Mdina, on February 7, 12, 21 and 28 from 6.30 to 8pm. Participants may attend any one or all four sessions, subject to prior booking. To reserve a place, e-mail bookings@palazzofalson .com or call 2145 4512.