Beanfeast

[FredPuli]

Why is a beanfeast so called? It seems unlikely that any happy gathering could be based on a menu of beans. Or is it perhaps a reference to an old practice where a bean was hidden in a cake and the finder was declared 'king' for a day of happy excess ? Any suggestions?

[Quizmonster]

A beanfeast was originally an annual dinner provided by employers for their workers. The earliest reference to such a meal, in 1805, includes the words: "...but, exclusive of the beans, the table literally groaned with bacon etc." So, no, the menu was not strictly based on beans.

Clearly, a beanfeast is virtually synonymous with a 'wayzgoose', which was also an annual meal provided specifically by printers for their workers around the end of August. It symbolised the start of the season during which they would have to do much of their work by candlelight. In this case, also, there is no suggestion that the menu was based on goose!

[FredPuli]

' Three *' QM ( for some reason I've not been given the asterisk option by AB ). Now, as you are there, is a beanfeast related to a beano as in The Beano' ?

[Quizmonster]

Strangely enough, Fred, given the reference to printers in my earlier answer, 'beano' started life as a printer's abbreviation of 'beanfeast'! It is, therefore, effectively the same word.

I assume that the comic, 'The Beano', was given that name because its producers thought it a veritable 'beanfeast' of entertainment for children...a groaning board of fun. I suppose we all thought it was, 'way back then.

[firefly]

No, a beanfeast or a beano now means any outing, not just a meal.