The Toastmaster

The first mention of the term "TOASTMASTER" dates back to the Middle Ages. In those days the practise of Wine-making was not as professional as it is today, therefore, as you would expect wine travelled very badly.

The Toastmaster (who on a normal day would have been the Lord of the Manor's Serf or Squire) would, amongst his other duties in the Great Hall, ensure that a piece of spiced Toast was placed in the top of every goblet so that when it sank down through the wine it soaked up all the floating sediment and disagreeable flavours which would have been present when the wine was drawn from the wooden cask. Note:- The wine soaked bits of toast were left as a treat for the Toastmaster at the end of the night.

Steve's comment "In todays modern Banquets, Guests are respectfully requested not to follow this quaint medieval practise - Thank you!!!" 

PROPOSING A TOAST

The custom of "Toasting" our favourites appears to have had its rise in the reign of King Charles II. Dr. Samuel Johnson, one of the most famous figures of the 18th century observed that the meaning of the word at its first use, was " a celebrated woman whose health is often drunk ;" and the reason of her being so termed may be found in the "Tatler" a magazine, originally founded in 1709 who says " It happened that on a public day a celebrated beauty of those times was in the Cross Bath (at Bath,) and one of the crowd of her admirers took a glass of the water in which the fair one stood, and drank her health to the company. There was in the place a fellow 'half fuddled', who offered to jump in, and swore, though he liked not the liquor he would have the Toast. He was opposed in his resolution, yet this whim gave foundation to the present honour which is done to the lady we mention in our liquor, who has ever since been called a "Toast."