The next cultural presentation organised by Din l-Art Helwa will cover the interesting subject of 'Food in Malta during the time of the Knights'.

Dr Carmel Cassar, Associate Professor of History at the University of Malta, will give a lecture on the subject and explain how bread represented the socio-economic status of its consumers.

Malta under the Knights of St. John (1530-1798), as in other early modern societies, depended heavily on agricultural production and was a society where food, and especially bread, wine and oil, were consumed in large quantities.

Bread was graded and its quality sanctioned social distinctions - the bread of the rich was refined, and produced from white wheat flour instead of maslin, consisting of a mixture of wheat and barley (mischiato in Italian, or mahlut in Maltese). It represented a status symbol that defined human condition and class according to its particular colour.

The lecture will attempt to show the difficulties faced by the island population and will be held on Thursday at 6pm at Judge Caruana Curran Hall, 133 Melita Street, Valletta.

Those who wish to attend are advised to be seated by 5.45 pm. Admission is free of charge.