Eating is a social ritual. From dinner dates to everyday suppers, casual picnics to lavish feasts, dining brings people together for far more than satisfying the needs of the body. For centuries, cutlery has served as extensions of our hands, enriching how we experience food and the act of eating. Knives, forks, and spoons come between hand and mouth, articulating the experience of dining. Accompanying an exhibition at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (May 5-October 29, 2006), Feeding Desire is the first book to showcase the Museum's astonishing permanent collection of American and European cutlery.