Gluttony then was considered a social sin, Schwartz says, denying food and even attention to others more needy. The 20th century speeded up everything, it seems, at least to those of us muddling through the end of it. We've gone from gluttony to dieting to gluttony and back, yo-yo fashion. This century marked a sea change when gluttony got another rap besides sinful. If we've learned anything at the end of the millennium, it's that humans still are in a quandary about the pleasures of the table.
Restaurants again define luxury with foie gras creations galore.
Steakhouses, back in favor, boast 32-ounce steaks. Desserts are elaborate architectural creations, and entree portions are often so huge that the diner can handle them only by taking home tomorrow's lunch in a doggie bag. On the delicacy side of gluttony, chefs forgo butter while creating dishes so rare, so fanciful, that they almost defy description and taste so rich as to be, well, sinful. Even the favorite diet of the '90s, the Zone, emphasizes red meat, wine, and a modicum of fat. Gluttony is back in vogue.