The Corkscrew | Raising a toast: the dos and don’ts, and how to sabre a champagne bottle

Raising a toast at a dinner, special occasion or event has long been a way to honour an individual. It is difficult to trace the origins of this custom but many believe it began with the ancient Greeks making offerings to their gods. Later, senators in Rome issued a decree that all citizens must toast the health of Emperor Augustus at each meal.

Shakespeare immortalised the custom of toasting in his Merry Wives of Windsor, with the character Falstaff demanding, “Go fetch me a quart of sack; put a toast in’t,” by which he meant he wanted a big glass of wine with a piece of toast in it (wine at that time was rather inconsistent, and adding toast was supposed to improve flavour, as well as being a way to use up stale bread).

It was the English who developed a formal custom of honouring people with a libation. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the person being toasted would often be given a piece of toast dipped in the liquid.

This gave rise to the Toastmasters, a guild whose members ensured the toasting did not get out of hand (some people would toast everyone in the room as an excuse to drink). The Toastmasters Guide, by T. Hughes, published in 1806, outlines toasting etiquette and suggests a number of toasts for various occasions.