junket

n. [ Formerly also juncate, fr. It. giuncata cream cheese, made in a wicker or rush basket, fr. L. juncus a rush. See 2d Junk, and cf. Juncate. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A cheese cake; a sweetmeat; any delicate food. [ 1913 Webster ]

How Faery Mab the junkets eat. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Victuals varied well in taste,
And other junkets. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A feast; an entertainment. [ 1913 Webster ]

A new jaunt or junket every night. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A trip made at the expense of an organization of which the traveller is an official, ostensibly to obtain information relevant to one's duties; especially, a trip made by a public official at government expense. The term is sometimes used opprobriously, from a belief that such trips are often taken for private pleasure, and are therefore a waste of public money; as, a congressional junket to a tropical country. [ PJC ]