The Power of the Plate

7. A system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other; what a rectangular table suggests.
9. The process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents; used to describe the loss of traditions.
10. A container for melting metals at high heat, or a situation of severe trial where different elements interact.
12. A place of refuge or safety; what the dining room can become on a Friday night.
14. Mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together.
17. Broken or separated into distinct parts; describing modern dinners where everyone eats alone.
18. The profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations, sometimes done over dinner.
19. The official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions.
20. The ability to understand and share the feelings of another; often expressed by bringing them food.

1. The part of the nervous system that slows the heart rate and relaxes muscles; the "rest and digest" mode.
2. Food and drink regarded as a source of strength; nourishment needed to stay alive.
3. The practice of eating together at the same table, often implying a social bond.
4. An agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified; like the one made with salt.
5. Relating to deep inward feelings rather than the intellect; instinctual, like a gut reaction.
6. An official order or commission to do something; biology gives us this regarding eating.
8. Unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group.
11. A meeting at which people attempt to make contact with the dead; metaphorically, cooking an ancestor's recipe.
13. A religious ceremony or act regarded as outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace; making dinner holy.
15. Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects, like the slow loss of family time.
16. Believing in the principle that all people are equal; a round table is a symbol of this.