Changes

I already wrote about the chronology of the meals described in ''Pan Tadeusz'' in [[Epic Cooking: Breakfast at Judge Soplica's|my post about the epic's breakfasts]]. As you may or may not remember, there are three afternoon or evening meals described in the first five book books of the poem. These include a Friday supper in the Horeszko family's ruined castle of the Horeszko family, a Saturday dinner at Judge Soplica's manor house and a Sunday supper held in the castle again. We'll try and use piece together our menu from the poet's descriptions of all three meals topiece together our menu.

But why did Protase (Protazy), a former court usherand now Judge Soplica's domestic servant, insist on having the supper in the murky ruins of an abandoned castle? Officially, because the castle, more spacious than the Judge Soplica's house, could better accommodate the many guests who arrived for the conclusion of the court case between the Judge and the Count. But as the castle was what the whole litigation was actually about, it was Protase's idea to prove that the Judge had gained ownership of the ruins through usucaption. In other words, if the Judge dines in the castle, then it means that the castle is legally his, because dines in it.