At the Ptolemaic court, the meal follows the Greek two-part model: first the *deipnon*, where fish, meats, legumes, and breads are shared on low tables, then the *symposion*, a time of wine mixed with water, fruits, honey cakes, and learned conversation. But Alexandria is a world-city: to this Greek framework are added Egyptian flavors (fava beans, goose, cumin) and rare spices brought via the Red Sea, making the royal table a crossroads between the Mediterranean, the Nile, and the Orient.

The queen's cuisine is recognized by the marriage of honey — abundant in Egypt — with precious spices (long pepper and cinnamon from India, perfumes of Arabia) unloaded in the port of Alexandria. It is this sweet-spiced opulence, a sign of wealth and refinement, that distinguishes a queen's table from the people's meal.