The Art of Bonding: A Treatise on Halflings and Their Relationship With Food

The relationship between halfling and food is a long and storied one. It is said that the first disagreement of the cheery small folk was settled over of a tasty dish and refreshing beverage. This article will seek to elaborate on the function food plays in society and illustrate the importance of a deeply seated belief to care and provide for others.

History

The Ritual of a Meal

As previously stated, it is said that the first argument in the history of the halflings was resolved by an offering of food and beverage. The parties that were previously at odds turned their minds from the vexing issue and focused on the plates before them, admiring the smells and sights that had been skillfully prepared by devoted hands. It is also rumored that these disagreeable individuals found the chef - offering the master of the meal anything that they desired. The chef, pleased that the two stopped arguing - said that there was "no greater gift than the sound of silence of a full mouth."
Together, they decided weekly feasts were to be instituted in halfling society. In part, this was to prevent arguments from festering for far, far too long - but the other is that they were able to gather together, fostering a sense of community. It became a matter of pride for halflings; they recognized that food was a common element between all ancestries. Focusing on the commonality of meals allowed halflings to have strong interpersonal relationships with those that differed greatly from themselves.

Execution

In the beginning, the feasts were very much a deliberate and intentional ritual. The day would begin where the community would divide the tasks needed to prepare the meal; more often than not, these feasts consisted of multiple courses. In some parts of the world, halflings would prep-work the night before to fully devote themselves the next day in the act of cooking and being present with others.
Feast Day would begin at dawn and any ingredients that needed gathering were collected in groups of three halflings per task. This symbolized their forebears' first Feast Day as they communally prepared a meal to share after resolving their disagreement. While many of the more religious-like aspects fell by the wayside in favor of being able to be more present with each other and engaging in conversation, the halflings are resolute in the number of folks gathering ingredients for meals.

Components and tools

Most of the ingredients for the meals are (if you will excuse the quotation) 'locally' sourced. As halflings are able to use leylines (also called feylines) to pass between planes, they've used food stuffs from the prime plane as well as the Feywild. This results in an eclectic and rather diverse flavor profiles.
There are animals that are usually roasted over a fire present at Feast Days. The Overseer (the one who officiates Feast Day) uses an ornate knife to cut the first piece. This signals that the time to tuck-in has arrived, and the merriment lasts long into the night.