tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852743869248650212024-02-19T08:15:32.413+00:00Pass the GarumEating like the AncientsNeillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-90432987988494060582015-02-21T00:45:00.004+00:002015-02-21T00:45:43.610+00:00Pass the Garum is moving!<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Pass the Garum is moving house to: <a href="http://www.passthegarum.co.uk/">http://www.passthegarum.co.uk/</a> </span></h2>
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Blogger has been great - 320,000 unique views attests to that - but it's reached the stage where it is too clunky and time-consuming to post regular updates and where lots of the older recipes are so deeply buried so as never to be seen. So far I have set up the new address and moved the fish recipes across. Within a few days, <a href="http://www.pass-the-garum.co.uk/">www.pass-the-garum.co.uk</a> will redirect to the new site, rather than here. Over the next few months I'll move the content from this site over to the new site, giving you a chance to see recipes you might not have seen before and me a chance to have another go at recipes I wasn't too happy with the first time around. There'll be plenty of new recipes to see too! So, pour a glass of <i>posca</i> and see you at the new place!</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-58149028357019180432015-01-18T22:47:00.002+00:002015-01-18T22:47:58.686+00:00Roman Borscht<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa9kGynnxCgbtVzquyGNvzgR-xBprLB2PLU-2gt-Jur-0gf4wmj5e5wJhrfGk5pyXasEUbI3r75DtLdjVKX7AdAIOexP0lCkD4-EKfZZ_aKwu14NdYaDWXpC1oXWO7KSKJkzVEX7ieEqR/s1600/DSC_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa9kGynnxCgbtVzquyGNvzgR-xBprLB2PLU-2gt-Jur-0gf4wmj5e5wJhrfGk5pyXasEUbI3r75DtLdjVKX7AdAIOexP0lCkD4-EKfZZ_aKwu14NdYaDWXpC1oXWO7KSKJkzVEX7ieEqR/s1600/DSC_1142.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Beetroot based borscht has been staining clothes for centuries, but could it be that this Slavic soup actually has more Mediterranean origins? An Apician recipe titled 'Varro Beets' suggests that the answer to this question might just be a rather surprising yes!</div>
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The Roman recipe is nestled amidst a number of others described as 'digestive aids', reflecting the fact that in the ancient world there was a strong link between food and medicine. Also of interest is the dish's name - Varro Beets. It could well be the case that this recipe is named after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Terentius_Varro">Marcus Terentius Varro</a>, a Roman agricultural writer who undoubtedly had countless encounters with the beet.</div>
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Whilst I have served this dish as a soup, the <i>Apicius</i> recipe by no means says that this must be done - rather, we are told that the liquid makes good drinking, something which suggests that it isn't usually included in the final dish. If this is so, then perhaps it isn't right to call this 'borscht' after all. However, in both appearance and taste, the 'liquid' is incredibly close to the aforementioned Eastern European soup. I'll let you decide!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Chicken and Beetroot Soup</u></b></span></div>
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(Serves 2)</div>
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<b>"For Varro Beets, take black beets and clean the roots well. Cook them with mead and some salt and oil. Boil them down until the liquid is saturated - this liquid makes a nice drink. It is also nice to cook a chicken with this."</b> - Apicius, 3.2.4</div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0dsBvJVqjnwE9xQQJGuEbvUXdzOhC7gYju06T-yqMwDYjh4Ozo3w_TDtdKAxzDt5dbQavoDOqAd925IPXMqIy49OKsUzQ_4zeOeu9JWnZmauhJGdt2Se3A1GATfkIr_kOJ_5vYZ8KQxP/s1600/DSC_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0dsBvJVqjnwE9xQQJGuEbvUXdzOhC7gYju06T-yqMwDYjh4Ozo3w_TDtdKAxzDt5dbQavoDOqAd925IPXMqIy49OKsUzQ_4zeOeu9JWnZmauhJGdt2Se3A1GATfkIr_kOJ_5vYZ8KQxP/s1600/DSC_1112.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>3 Raw Beetroot</li>
<li>1 Chicken Thigh</li>
<li>500ml White Wine</li>
<li>500ml Water</li>
<li>100g Honey</li>
<li>2 tbsp Olive Oil</li>
<li>Salt and Pepper</li>
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Methods</h3>
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<li>Begin by adding the wine, honey, oil and water to a saucepan. Add the chicken thigh too, then turn on the heat. This is the stock for the soup.</li>
<li>Whilst waiting for the water to boil, peel and either grate or finely chop the beetroot. This bit is incredibly messy and your kitchen will probably resemble the fields of Cannae after Hannibal had his way with the Romans.</li>
<li>When the stock is simmering away, add the beetroot. Simmer for 1.5 hours to reduce the soup.</li>
<li>When the time is up, take the chicken out and shred the meat using two forks. Pop this back in the pan with the soup.</li>
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<li>Have a taste and season accordingly. When this is done, the soup is ready. Ladle some into a bowl and serve with some bread. Delicious!</li>
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Results</h3>
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Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. With fish sauce conspicuously absent, this recipe is quite different from others we have tried before. There is an incredible sweetness tempered slightly by the meatiness of the chicken and stock. Mostly, it is very moreish. Having tasted the end product it is difficult to deny how close it is to borscht (albeit very sweet borscht). Do I think the Romans did it first? In this case, the answer is a resounding yes!</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-55373504681098037022014-12-22T13:05:00.000+00:002015-01-18T22:48:17.710+00:00Conditum Paradoxum - Spiced Wine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf4WG2ccMK5dPj-H1x1L6RNR5AiNwAwghaBKfcL6CUXugH53H5srwMinv3QFFjzk98FRQEvmn1ncsX9RlWxKQGlUGaJEfetNB5lwOE_ELb6OcotRqizkg-fLPBFtRpzzQx51LeJAIJlVC/s1600/Wine-Fresco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf4WG2ccMK5dPj-H1x1L6RNR5AiNwAwghaBKfcL6CUXugH53H5srwMinv3QFFjzk98FRQEvmn1ncsX9RlWxKQGlUGaJEfetNB5lwOE_ELb6OcotRqizkg-fLPBFtRpzzQx51LeJAIJlVC/s1600/Wine-Fresco.jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a></div>
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The scene above is probably frighteningly familiar to anybody who has had their Christmas work-do recently, and would probably be frighteningly familiar to many ancient Romans at this time of year. We're currently in the midst of the Roman festival of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia">Saturnalia</a>, a time of gift-giving and continual partying and drinking which ran from 17th - 23rd December in honour of Saturn, the god of time. <br />
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Whilst the above fresco does not depict Saturnalia, I've included it here for two reasons - in it we see Bacchus, the god of wine, and we also see a satyr drinking his fill from a bowl. The Romans clearly loved the stuff, so I think it is high time we had a go at Roman wine for ourselves. And what better recipe to start with than <i>conditum paradoxum</i>, an ancient spiced wine not dissimilar to mulled wine. <br />
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Unlike most Roman recipes, we have exact quantities for this drink, but because this will produce an industrial sized batch, I have reduced the amounts. As I was just testing the recipe, my quantities are enough to produce a single glass - scale the amounts if you want a bottle's worth. A point to note is that this wine is <i>incredibly</i> sweet, much like a dessert wine or mead. We know that in ancient Rome it was uncommon to drink wine straight - it tended to be diluted with water. If you find that you need to do this, then do so! Finally, whilst it is unlikely that this was drunk whilst warm, I think that, much like mulled wine, it is well worth doing.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Conditum Paradoxum</span></u></b></div>
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(makes one glass)</div>
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<b>"Put six sextarii of honey into a bronze jar containing two sextarii of wine, so that the wine will be boiled off as you cook the honey. Heat this over a slow fire of dry wood, stirring with a wooden rod as it boils. If it boils over, add some cold wine. Take off the heat and allow to cool. When it does cool, light another fire underneath it. Do this a second and a third time and only then remove it from the brazier and skim it. Next, add 4 ounces of pepper, 3 scruples of mastic, a dragma of bay leaf and saffron, 5 date stones and then the dates themselves. Finally, add 18 sextarii of light wine. Charcoal will correct any bitter taste."</b> - Apicius, 1.1</div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo0f9ObM3AtavAReNDM1JDTAj4pLWRqYWghanmBWKqVC5320pMa8PnLXN4qPNqzi5-VLH4KW0913BidIO6ZhJC5t2sjl9P5-lxFCurjFoAhHTDg76t3elnDr_j_C6B6So1JCKk7vmIbDG/s1600/DSC_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo0f9ObM3AtavAReNDM1JDTAj4pLWRqYWghanmBWKqVC5320pMa8PnLXN4qPNqzi5-VLH4KW0913BidIO6ZhJC5t2sjl9P5-lxFCurjFoAhHTDg76t3elnDr_j_C6B6So1JCKk7vmIbDG/s1600/DSC_1099.JPG" height="320" width="290" /></a></div>
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<li>187ml White Wine</li>
<li>150g Honey</li>
<li>2 Bay Leaves</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds (instead of mastic)</li>
<li>1 tsp Black Pepper</li>
<li>Several Strands of Saffron</li>
<li>1 Small Handful of Raisins or Dates</li>
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Method</h3>
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<li>Add 75ml of wine and all of the honey to a saucepan - bring this to the boil so that the honey dissolves completely. After several minutes, remove the pan from the heat.</li>
<li>Whilst the wine is still hot, add all of the other ingredients - this will help the flavours to infuse. Place a lid on top of the pan to keep the heat in to prolong the process.</li>
<li>When this is cool, add the rest of the wine. To serve, pour through a fine sieve - it will probably still be quite cloudy. Taste for sweetness - if it is too sweet dilute with water or with more wine. If you wish to have it hot, simply reheat in a pan!</li>
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Results</h3>
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<i>Conditum paradoxum</i> is an incredibly sweet wine which tastes largely of pepper and saffron. The pepper means that the mixture is warming even when served cold. The addition of fennel seeds results in aniseed undertones, but not so much as to be overpowering. I think that without some form of dilution, whether in wine or water, <i>conditum</i> becomes sickly quite quickly. Overall, this is a luxurious drink which, when served warm, is perfectly suited to the cold winter months.<br />
<br />Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-87271416598371648182014-10-25T02:11:00.000+01:002014-10-25T02:11:09.174+01:00Bucellatum - Roman Army Hardtack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigkdPXBMMnSWOTLVWnSJgbn2aJSHqT445QaZHCHnNcUAg0l5IQz8ntVw2BnRw821YXSVaSfygmJynocASU3exFXQW2EVhw4ow7Vc7f3N0qMB_J2rB9oex9_7VV2j1_pk8pJT59mFhyphenhyphenWSS/s1600/DSC_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigkdPXBMMnSWOTLVWnSJgbn2aJSHqT445QaZHCHnNcUAg0l5IQz8ntVw2BnRw821YXSVaSfygmJynocASU3exFXQW2EVhw4ow7Vc7f3N0qMB_J2rB9oex9_7VV2j1_pk8pJT59mFhyphenhyphenWSS/s1600/DSC_1070.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's been quite some time since my last post - in that time I've travelled to Cambodia and back, started a new job and moved to a house with a very small kitchen. In that time many of my Roman ingredients have gone off or gone missing, and I'm at a point where I have to start from the basics. The very basics. Where better to start, then, than with some simple soldiers' fare.<br />
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The late-Roman <i>Codex Theodosianus</i>, a compilation of Roman laws, states that during expeditions a Roman soldier should be supplied with "<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>buccellatum ac panem, vinum quoque atque acetum, </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>sed et laridum, carnem verbecinam.</i>" or "hardtack and bread, wine too and vinegar, but also bacon and mutton." (VII.4.6). Soldiers were supposed to have the hardtack, mutton and vinegar for two days and then have a day of bread, wine and bacon. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">We've already seen that the Romans turned vinegar into the refreshing drink </span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/posca.html">posca</a></i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, learned what </span><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/parsnip-mash-and-salt-pork.html" style="font-family: inherit;">bacon</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> might be eaten with and discovered two </span><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/lentil-and-root-veg-mash-with-spelt_10.html" style="font-family: inherit;">different ways</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of </span><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/moretum.html" style="font-family: inherit;">baking bread</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. But what of </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">buccellatum</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">? What is hardtack?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hardtack is a simple biscuit made from flour, salt and water. As the name suggests, it is rock hard, baked twice at low temperatures for a very long time, ensuring that no moisture is left inside. This makes <i>bucellatum</i> perfect for soldiering since without moisture it takes a long time to go off - ideal for prolonged campaigns in Britain where the weather would quickly spoil bread and flour. Just as <i>bucellatum</i> was perfectly suited to soldiering, it was perfectly suited to soldiers too - a tooth lost to this rock hard biscuit was just another war wound. In fact, so perfect was this match that Roman soldiers came to be known as <i>bucellarii</i> (Photius, <i>Bibliotheca</i>, 80). The association between hardtack and the military continues long past ancient Rome, with hardtack being eaten by crusaders, Elizabethan sailors and by folks fighting in the American Civil War.</span><br />
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<i>Bucellatum</i> may have been eaten dry, soaked in <i>posca</i> or softened in a stew - no doubt soldiers found a variety of ways to make this staple more exciting. Given how long it lasts, if you cook up a batch you can try new ways of preparing it for years to come. Whilst there is no surviving recipe for Roman <i>bucellatum</i>, there are plenty for hardtack. All are based upon flour, salt and water, ingredients which the Roman army had in abundance and distributed to its soldiers. Instead of oil, which some recipes call for, I have used a small amount of butter.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bucellatum/Hardtack</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">(makes 8)</span></b></div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<li>350g Flour (Wholemeal)</li>
<li>75ml Water</li>
<li>1 tsp Salt</li>
<li>10g Butter/Lard or 1 tbsp Olive Oil</li>
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<h3>
Method</h3>
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<li>Mix the flour, salt and butter.</li>
<li>Add the water, bit at a time, to create a stiff (dry) dough - hardtack is supposed to be completely dry when finished.</li>
<li>Roll the dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Some sources describe <i>bucellatum</i> as being round, so use an upturned glass to cut out the biscuits. You can cut it as you wish however - I can't imagine the soldiers being too fussy. Punch holes in the dough to allow the air - and moisture - to escape whilst baking. I used a chopstick to do this.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsOzFNGrutOcxkdniilIYoVTVIig727wI1zfrPID-wFYhSQsuiXUaFKiLAc-8XM115zbV1EFH7R9gNvU5P0QQ6G0HbXWrLrtYUNzcB5NdxLJ85fWpOT9QxQ2ShTfAd6UVOiB_GlEI7rYM/s1600/DSC_1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsOzFNGrutOcxkdniilIYoVTVIig727wI1zfrPID-wFYhSQsuiXUaFKiLAc-8XM115zbV1EFH7R9gNvU5P0QQ6G0HbXWrLrtYUNzcB5NdxLJ85fWpOT9QxQ2ShTfAd6UVOiB_GlEI7rYM/s1600/DSC_1066.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Place onto a baking tray and into an oven preheated to around 120 Celsius - you want to cook the hardtack at a low heat for a long time. Mine took 2.5 hours. Halfway through I turned the biscuits over and re-punched the holes.</li>
<li>Leave the hardtack to cool in the oven for several hours. If any are still moist, cook in the oven until totally dry.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<h3>
Results</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I quite enjoyed <i>bucellatum</i> - it was tough and at times difficult to eat, but it was wonderfully salty and quite filling. I imagine that it would work well when eaten with a stew. With lots left over, I will see how well it keeps.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Useful links:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.comitatus.net/research_files/rations.pdf">Comitatus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/messgear.html">Legio XX</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-85983628512844859862014-02-19T23:44:00.000+00:002014-02-19T23:44:00.196+00:00Dill Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSKQ3wqwCYoL-EsS5lTdhnylvXNaWy1nXoRxwym6v2U1RMwKGPk-Kp52Q1TD4gBUz67YpSwmQQ14Sx7NBkFzvSzEafCEb62LLobiBXQk5FrjRHakjB_5ws_m2opMGqyQP3TFqnUxYf7l1/s1600/_DSC0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSKQ3wqwCYoL-EsS5lTdhnylvXNaWy1nXoRxwym6v2U1RMwKGPk-Kp52Q1TD4gBUz67YpSwmQQ14Sx7NBkFzvSzEafCEb62LLobiBXQk5FrjRHakjB_5ws_m2opMGqyQP3TFqnUxYf7l1/s1600/_DSC0244.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the most popular recipes on Pass the Garum, and indeed my personal favourite so far, is Dill Chicken. This recipe captures all of the flavours of ancient Rome and brings them together in one delicious dish. When we first encountered it, it was as <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/roast-dill-chicken.html">Roast Dill Chicken</a>, but since then, I've taken to cooking it as a stew, making it taste even better than before. So, whilst I'm wary about re-using old recipes, I think that this is one which you'll be more than happy to cook again and again.<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dill Chicken</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 2)</div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF6b10qATq1p1EJVdhn94mrF-_NbTDOR8Cp21H8pkVJGVMLIry8NPaEdnSuV3CdqLV6X0haV32oa68wqVyUW_BHKUxM394uYcKW1_NIXwq_BLMy6zZhR1xdhvXLd4L98LuMG9YAElQyFT/s1600/_DSC0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF6b10qATq1p1EJVdhn94mrF-_NbTDOR8Cp21H8pkVJGVMLIry8NPaEdnSuV3CdqLV6X0haV32oa68wqVyUW_BHKUxM394uYcKW1_NIXwq_BLMy6zZhR1xdhvXLd4L98LuMG9YAElQyFT/s1600/_DSC0232.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Handful of Fresh Dill</li>
<li>Handful of Fresh Mint</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Asafoetida</li>
<li>1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>2 tbsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/garum.html">Liquamen</a></li>
<li>5 Dried Dates</li>
<li>1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard</li>
<li>1 tbsp Olive Oil</li>
<li>2 tbsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/caroenum.html">Caroenum</a> or Balsamic Glaze</li>
<li>2 Chicken Breasts</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Method</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Add the dates to a mortar, removing the stones if there are any. Add just enough water to cover the dates, then crush with a pestle to form a date paste.</li>
<li>Wash the dill and mint leaves. Chop them finely, or tear apart and add to the mortar alongside the asafoetida, red wine vinegar, liquamen, mustard, and caroenum/balsamic glaze. Crush everything until it is well mixed.</li>
<li>Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. You're going to cook the chicken using the hob, so heat the oil in a saucepan/frying pan/casserole/earthenware dish. When it is hot enough, add the chicken pieces and cook for a few minutes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Add the dill sauce to the pot, mix everything together, and cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. If you have a lid, use it to keep moisture in. If not, add a bit of water if it starts to look too dry. The sauce should be quite thick, so don't add too much water.</li>
<li>Once the chicken is cooked, the Dill Chicken is ready to serve. I recommend it with the <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/lentil-and-root-veg-mash-with-spelt.html">Lentil and Root Veg Mash</a>, or the <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/parsnip-mash-and-salt-pork.html">Parsnip Mash</a>, as these absorb the sauce well.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-24231505538865530742014-01-11T00:38:00.000+00:002014-01-11T00:38:36.033+00:00Poached Eggs with Pine-Nut Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Helen O'Connell once asked her good pal Dean Martin, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJsYgqQ0zEk">How do you like your eggs in the morning?</a>" Mr. Martin, it turns out, liked his with a kiss - the ancient Romans, on the other hand, would have been asking for a whole lot more. This is because eggs were actually quite expensive in the ancient Mediterranean, costing one <i>denarius</i> per egg. If you were buying a dozen of them, as we so often do today, you'd have to fork out 12 <i>denarii</i>, or perhaps 10 if you knew how to barter well. When you consider that the average worker in 300 A.D. was making just 25 <i>denarii</i> per day, you come to recognise that eggs weren't an ingredient to be used with reckless abandon.<br />
<br />
If we were a farmer with a few hens running around, we wouldn't need to worry so much, but as it stands we are mere manual labourers who have blown half of our pay packet on a dozen eggs because the fella' at the market convinced us it was a deal we couldn't afford to miss. What we want to know is, how do we make the most of these eggs? Why, we poach them and pour over a pine-nut sauce of course!<br />
<br />
The recipe describes the eggs as <i>ova hapala</i>, which means that they ought to be very soft-boiled. I've opted to poach them briefly to achieve this effect. As you will also notice, I've omitted the lovage called for in the recipe. This isn't for any culinary reasons - I simply haven't been able to find any recently!<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Poached Eggs with Pine-Nut Sauce</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 4)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Serve pepper, lovage, soaked nuts, honey, vinegar, and <i>liquamen</i>."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, 7.17.3</div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDg-1XWfSVwSkN83Wk8TXJCpHEGb0zt0PRN7ujc1jGW3ZYLu1CRxvRYdmQZWGTc1fF2o6m5hMgRg1ib72_2XZn1N4UBxg9cdrXsgTQrBOYgVHLTWNM8Qf3mrhXTYBcIO3_VknQ9rGSKG6/s1600/_DSC0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDg-1XWfSVwSkN83Wk8TXJCpHEGb0zt0PRN7ujc1jGW3ZYLu1CRxvRYdmQZWGTc1fF2o6m5hMgRg1ib72_2XZn1N4UBxg9cdrXsgTQrBOYgVHLTWNM8Qf3mrhXTYBcIO3_VknQ9rGSKG6/s1600/_DSC0185.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>4 Eggs</li>
<li>40g Pine-Nuts</li>
<li>1 tsp Honey</li>
<li>1 tbsp Red-Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Pepper</li>
<li>1 tbsp <i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/garum.html">Liquamen</a></i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<h3>
Method</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Soak the pine-nuts in water for several hours to soften them - this will help us make the sauce later. If you want to be that bit more decadent, soak them in white wine to add some subtle flavour to the dish.</li>
<li>Pine-nuts suitably soaked, drain them and add them to a mortar (or food processor) with the honey, red-wine vinegar, pepper and <i>liquamen</i>. Crush crush crush. You can make the 'sauce' as smooth as you like.</li>
<li>Sauce prepared, it's time to poach the eggs. For a good no-nonsense video explaining how to do this, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zGVRWFMMuw">click here</a>. Otherwise:</li>
<ul>
<li>Add a few inches of water to a saucepan and bring this to a gentle simmer.</li>
<li>Once the water is simmering away, add a little bit of white-vinegar - the word on science street is that this stops the egg from falling apart while it cooks. Don't let the water boil.</li>
<li>Crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin.</li>
<li>Stir the water in circles to create a vortex (or invoke Neptune to do it for you). As it swirls, gently pour the egg from the bowl/ramekin into the water. You need to be gentle to prevent it falling apart.</li>
<li>4 minutes later and the egg is done. Take it out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set it into your serving dish.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<ul>
<li>With your eggs arranged in a serving dish, spoon a little of the sauce over each of them. Finish by sprinkling over some more pepper, then tuck in and enjoy!</li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Results</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Perhaps it's just my predilection for poached eggs, but this dish was thoroughly enjoyable. The earthiness of the pine-nuts combined beautifully with the poached egg, whilst the sharpness of the vinegar cut through the sauce's heavy texture. The recipe is quite reminiscent of Eggs Benedict, albeit an Eggs Benedict with much stronger flavours. If you want to get the most from your expensive eggs, you need look no further.</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-71342110525726500852013-10-21T21:27:00.001+01:002013-10-21T21:27:38.533+01:00Roman (French) Toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtUbjLuI6UNSz1AWJ-6-RBpK7FpeCkNJpRwx9-gGElLP0SH7CnKieNeqqqjYdav6Sa2qQR3ZlZP2ecCX3eWe-gUYvCEybWbDxdo7ZeDG2URKGI-x9_hb4l0RTZWOeVgPZAO8HKMsBF5T7/s1600/_DSC0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtUbjLuI6UNSz1AWJ-6-RBpK7FpeCkNJpRwx9-gGElLP0SH7CnKieNeqqqjYdav6Sa2qQR3ZlZP2ecCX3eWe-gUYvCEybWbDxdo7ZeDG2URKGI-x9_hb4l0RTZWOeVgPZAO8HKMsBF5T7/s400/_DSC0145.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So much of Roman cooking involves familiarising yourself with the unfamiliar - obscure ingredients, unusual methods of preparation, and nigh-on-non-existent instructions. So it took me by great surprise when, fumbling through the pages of <i>Apicius</i>, I found a very familiar recipe indeed - it would appear that the Romans had a thing for French Toast!<br />
<br />
Needless to say the Romans were there first, so perhaps we should rename the recipe 'Roman Toast', but I can't help but imagine Vercingetorix, defeated by Caesar, being paraded through the streets of Rome with some French Toast in hand.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwVhhhvC9mhM4xbSvBbqFbS1BvSQmeen2L13eGdxjcoef8uZn_Djzo_zIOHG9vuak2_Y4Zc7yRdpeXsyM0YifSeynFK9hzLWVwuBx9Pi5P6wCV_UPliZEYtqA7QnEXdTV2nS5dRVSnb4L/s1600/FrenchToast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwVhhhvC9mhM4xbSvBbqFbS1BvSQmeen2L13eGdxjcoef8uZn_Djzo_zIOHG9vuak2_Y4Zc7yRdpeXsyM0YifSeynFK9hzLWVwuBx9Pi5P6wCV_UPliZEYtqA7QnEXdTV2nS5dRVSnb4L/s400/FrenchToast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
You may wonder what the point of posting this recipe is when I could just guide you elsewhere, but I think it's nice to see some continuity with the Roman world as well as the near-infinite differences. You'll notice that the recipe calls for 'fine white bread' - given how time consuming and wasteful it is to produce white flour, white bread was a luxury available only to the well-off in the ancient world. As it is written, this is a recipe of some status, but feel free to use whatever type of bread you wish, whether fresh or stale.<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Roman Toast</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>(Makes 6 slices)</b></div>
<br />
<b>"Slice fine white bread, remove the crust, and break it into large pieces. Soak these pieces in milk and beaten egg, fry in oil, and cover with honey before serving."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, 7.13.3<br />
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<ul>
<li>3 Eggs</li>
<li>200ml Milk</li>
<li>Honey</li>
<li>6 Slices Bread</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Method</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Thinly slice the loaf of bread - it fries better this way. Remove the crusts, and break into large chunks if you wish.</li>
<li>Break the three eggs into a casserole dish or a bowl. Add the 200ml of milk and mix it all together.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Soak the bread slices/chunks in the mixture for a few seconds on each side. If you soak them for too long, the end result will be more omelette than toast (still tasty mind you). Drain the excess mixture off.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Drop the bread into a hot, oily frying pan. Turn it over occasionally, making sure it doesn't burn. You know it's done when it starts to look like the picture below. When you're ready to serve, cover it in honey, as per the recipe. Cinnamon works well too, and was available to the Romans.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKO9yftJoDSv2JJWQWsOfysGnv7IHg34Vxdwxq7rNSU3aULbvfQTxp7RYalhi_MH4TlIgVEjx_tdEAFVZkLcptMWn7rSBK6ED6Ekgk5NMh97S5qS3WWFTpsqAgiBkh2Hq4FZI-p42a1Yt/s1600/_DSC0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKO9yftJoDSv2JJWQWsOfysGnv7IHg34Vxdwxq7rNSU3aULbvfQTxp7RYalhi_MH4TlIgVEjx_tdEAFVZkLcptMWn7rSBK6ED6Ekgk5NMh97S5qS3WWFTpsqAgiBkh2Hq4FZI-p42a1Yt/s320/_DSC0145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
It tasted just as French Toast should taste! It was crispy without being burnt, and tasted very sweet thanks to the honey added before serving. All of the egg means that this is a filling dish - I started struggling after my third slice!Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-3390588459115288062013-10-06T16:01:00.000+01:002013-10-06T16:01:20.494+01:00Stale Bread Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB2Fowc6Qlwd_5gbyfZi4WsqIkEbEyziCU7Wm8wbd2Nm06-BpMLT2osEmW8UfoaMoxIh-j2EGLs-b_0PSPga5FNUycy6dwgiSM9N_5SJuHtDtV0v2LVWZggoFSSGT1tOudQiS_oz5umx0/s1600/_DSC0121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB2Fowc6Qlwd_5gbyfZi4WsqIkEbEyziCU7Wm8wbd2Nm06-BpMLT2osEmW8UfoaMoxIh-j2EGLs-b_0PSPga5FNUycy6dwgiSM9N_5SJuHtDtV0v2LVWZggoFSSGT1tOudQiS_oz5umx0/s400/_DSC0121.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
With 'Best Before' and 'Use By' dates in abundance, I think we have grown scared of what we eat. How many times have you poured away milk, or thrown out a loaf of bread because it was past the little date written on the packaging? Or how many times have you gone rummaging to the back of the supermarket shelves to gain an extra day or two? I know I do it all the time! In reality, your loaf of sliced white isn't going to turn into a rock-hard ball of blue fur the moment it hits midnight, and even if it does, it still has its uses.<br />
<br />
This week we're taking stale bread, something which I imagine was abundant in ancient Rome, and giving it a little bit of extra life. To do so, we're going to enlist the help of our favourite Roman drink, <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/posca.html">Posca</a>! The recipe, if followed literally, results in an unusual looking paste. Delicious though it is, it doesn't look very appetising, which is why I've made the salad a second way too.<br />
<br />
You'll notice that the recipe calls for the dish to be chilled with 'snow'. Snow wasn't exactly abundant in ancient Rome, but it was possible to import some, albeit at great expense. The use of snow in this recipe adds an opulence which we, with our humble refrigerators, cannot hope to emulate. If winter has arrived, then feel free to use all the snow you want (as long as it isn't yellow) - the rest of us can make do without. As a final note, I've chosen to leave out mint, as I find it very overpowering - include it according to your own tastes.<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stale Bread Salad</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 1)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Hollow an Alexandrine loaf of bread, soak the crumbs in posca, and make a paste. In the mortar put some pepper, honey, mint, garlic, fresh coriander, salted cheese, water, and oil. Chill in snow and serve."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, 4.1.3</div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Stale Bread</li>
<li>One Glass of <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/posca.html">Posca</a></li>
<li>One Clove of Garlic</li>
<li>50g Hard Cheese</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns</li>
<li>Small Handful of Coriander</li>
<li>1 tbsp Honey</li>
<li>1 tbsp Olive Oil</li>
<li>50ml Water</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Method 1 (The Paste Method)</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<ul>
<li>Add the pepper, cheese, coriander, and garlic to the mortar and grind it to a paste. Add the honey, oil, and water, and mix further. This is our dressing.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Hollow out a loaf of stale bread - discard the crust (or put it to use if you can think of a way!)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzHN1cJwYwxQrV54L1faMwqWZ2umk4JKFR34Yfas8k4RDN5-KcFlsVmIOMLS7JZpLVL8D21uEefK9rDaNhu_qi3eDnhXxfz5Lv1v5SKgFtQZivleorSJkjg2X522Ask9XBOT698H14Xfx/s1600/_DSC0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzHN1cJwYwxQrV54L1faMwqWZ2umk4JKFR34Yfas8k4RDN5-KcFlsVmIOMLS7JZpLVL8D21uEefK9rDaNhu_qi3eDnhXxfz5Lv1v5SKgFtQZivleorSJkjg2X522Ask9XBOT698H14Xfx/s320/_DSC0123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Soak the breadcrumbs in enough posca to make a paste. Place this paste in a serving dish, and smooth it out. Spoon over some of the dressing, refrigerate for half an hour, and serve to whoever is brave enough to eat it.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Method 2 (The Alternative)</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Make the dressing as outlined above.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj22Knsj5ZGhPz4doR1MiNhKJqPusU4oOGCMDY9MfY-hkHPqSNiZZSlyj2FFCIgx8qvgrppW94Kb1l354HOixkqC5YgAeKblmyzjwkO80cXABZRIuioYPtBAFQyc5BfQCZTkbG3CC0QZJ/s1600/_DSC0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj22Knsj5ZGhPz4doR1MiNhKJqPusU4oOGCMDY9MfY-hkHPqSNiZZSlyj2FFCIgx8qvgrppW94Kb1l354HOixkqC5YgAeKblmyzjwkO80cXABZRIuioYPtBAFQyc5BfQCZTkbG3CC0QZJ/s320/_DSC0116.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Remove the crusts, and cut the bread into triangles. Arrange these in your serving dish, and pour over plenty of the posca.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Spoon over lots of dressing, refrigerate for half an hour, then tuck in.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
I'll be the first to admit that neither of these dishes look particularly appetizing. Despite this, I still tucked into the both of them, and they were phenomenal! Posca brought the stale bread back to life, making it deliciously juicy, sweet, and easy to eat. The dressing was very reminiscent of <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/cooking-apicius.html" style="font-style: italic;">moretum</a>, one of the first recipes found on Pass the Garum - it was sweet, garlicy, and herby, with a bit of a kick from the black pepper. As for the two methods of making the dish, I would say that the first one tastes the best. I think we're all agreed, however, that the second is the better looking of the two. Take your pick.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-27438654862321427232013-09-23T22:13:00.000+01:002013-09-23T22:13:55.864+01:00Posca<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ylfc-8NXPeTcWj2l3MRIUBeE2uA3y6cwl_XUWS40CvhNMWY-vEzxuyssIZBXUQhO5ZmPLJ9SrTWhz3vQ8inBeaJPM2EV_PCauY3sqf47HXi5xSBlioaJVDA4X9rZOjLyjDFGONuOBJ2F/s1600/_DSC0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ylfc-8NXPeTcWj2l3MRIUBeE2uA3y6cwl_XUWS40CvhNMWY-vEzxuyssIZBXUQhO5ZmPLJ9SrTWhz3vQ8inBeaJPM2EV_PCauY3sqf47HXi5xSBlioaJVDA4X9rZOjLyjDFGONuOBJ2F/s400/_DSC0092.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
Posca, the Roman vinegar-based wonder-drink, is a bit of a mystery, because as much as people keep mentioning it, it is oddly absent from ancient literature. Posca appears in books and articles, being sipped by soldiers and passed around by pals, yet we don't even have a recipe for it!<br />
<br />
Basically, we know that soldiers were given a vinegar ration (Vegetius, <i>Concerning Military Matters</i>, 3.3), and that this vinegar could be mixed with water and drunk. (Celsus, <i>On Medicine</i>, 2.27) Hadrian drank posca to 'be one of the soldiers' (<i>Historia Augusta: Hadrian</i>, 10.2), and from this we can infer that it wasn't a drink usually served to the rich. On the contrary, this was a drink sold on the streets! (Suetonius, <i>Vitellius</i>, 12.1) If you think about it, this makes a lot of sense - vinegar is what is left when wine production goes 'wrong', or if wine is left exposed for too long. Knowing how much wine the Romans got through, it stands to reason that there was a lot of vinegar knocking about - so, why not put it to use?<br />
<br />
Clearly posca was good enough to keep a Roman army marching - in his soldiering days, Cato the Elder drank posca to fend off raging thirst. (Plutarch,<i> Cato the Elder</i>, 1.10). The sharpness of the vinegar masked the taste of questionable water, the acidity would have helped to kill off certain bacteria, and, <a href="http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v59/n9/full/1602197a.html">according to a recent study</a>, vinegar makes you feel more full after eating bread. We shouldn't rush to say that the Romans knew all of this, but it is important nonetheless. What wasn't so important to the Romans was writing the recipe down, which leaves us in a bit of a pickle.<br />
<br />
I've encountered several recipes online, some simplistic, and others quite complex. They're all <i>feasible</i> with regards to ingredients, so we're going to try them all and see how they taste. If anybody can find a reliable source for any of these recipes, please do get in touch! Before starting, make sure you use <i>brewed</i> vinegar (red-wine vinegar preferably), rather than distilled.<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<h3>
1) Ever-so-simple Soldier's Posca</h3>
<br />
All the sources say is that soldiers drank a mixture of vinegar and water, so that's going to be our starting point. Nothing fancy here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>250ml Water</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Methods</h3>
<ul>
<li>Mix and drink!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div>
<h3>
Notes</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>If you want to replicate that 'stuck-in-the-freezing-cold-north-of-England' feeling, or fancy something a bit more refreshing, use chilled water.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<h3>
2) Sharp-but-sweet Posca</h3>
<br />
I've seen several websites suggesting that honey was added to posca (without providing sources mind you). It's a feasible suggestion, so let's pretend we're an entrepreneuring posca salesman looking to one-up the competition, and give it a go.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>250ml Water</li>
<li>1 tbsp Honey</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Methods</h3>
<ul>
<li>If using set honey, melt it in the microwave for 20 seconds first.</li>
<li>Add the honey to the water, give it a stir, then add the vinegar.</li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<h3>
3) Posh Posca</h3>
<br />
Everybody loved the honey idea, so now they're all doing it. We have to go one further and make our posca even tastier! I've seen claims, again unsourced, that crushed coriander seed was a favourite addition to posca. It's certainly feasible, although I can't imagine it's what the soldiers and common people got to drink, hence why we're calling it posh posca.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>250ml Water</li>
<li>1 tbsp Honey</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Coriander Seed</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Methods</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li>If using set honey, melt it in the microwave for 20 seconds first.</li>
<li>Add the honey to the water, give it a stir, then add the vinegar.</li>
<li>Crush coriander seeds, add them to the drink, and stir it about for a bit. After a few minutes, strain the seeds out, and serve the drink.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
Vinegar and water sounds quite horrific if we're being honest, but my oh my is it good! First up was Soldier's Posca, undoubtedly the most 'realistic' version of the drink. No matter what you add to it, posca is always going to smell strongly of vinegar - this makes taking that first sip difficult. Struggle through the smell and you have a very refreshing drink with a bit of a tangy taste. The closest comparison I can think of is lemon water, or lime cordial. Secondly was posca with a touch of honey. This was, in my opinion, the tastiest version of the drink; the sweetness of the honey and the acidity of the vinegar work well together, making the mixture much more drinkable. Finally there was 'Posh Posca' with its added coriander seeds. This tasted much the same as the second drink, with the coriander seed emphasising the citrusy taste. With the added expense and hassle however, you have to ask if it's worth it.<br />
<br />
Without a written recipe, we can never truly know what went into posca, meaning that all of the above is just guess work. Given what we <i>do</i> know, I think it's safe to say that posca resembled at least the first of these recipes, although all are equally plausible. All I can do now is <i>urge</i> you to try them, and see what you think.<br />
<br />Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-79849337797519311882013-09-02T19:51:00.003+01:002013-09-02T19:51:43.304+01:00Rome sweet Rome!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I set off for South East Asia, the ancient Romans were the last thing on my mind, but every once in a while, thousands of miles from the Mediterranean, I would see something which taught me a little bit more about their world. I saw 'ruler cult' in Vietnam as people lined for hours to see their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh">'Uncle Ho'</a>, witnessed religious rituals in Laos and Northern Thailand which wouldn't have been out of place in ancient Rome, and even got to stand side by side with the elephants as Hannibal once did. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEXmbkGPX88phsgmTPzbHXEJtN0fX4KUrytB31Gt9jSCIdlSmv4JPlK53EHm-katXkVSud3v8xnzjZwhhxhjXUYuqTq9Za-mxSUhNuktRNyIU4olmdKMVsIyYtLjz718apfZOGOKJ0-Sj/s1600/_DSC0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEXmbkGPX88phsgmTPzbHXEJtN0fX4KUrytB31Gt9jSCIdlSmv4JPlK53EHm-katXkVSud3v8xnzjZwhhxhjXUYuqTq9Za-mxSUhNuktRNyIU4olmdKMVsIyYtLjz718apfZOGOKJ0-Sj/s400/_DSC0798.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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More relevant to Pass the Garum, I also learned a lot about food and cooking. Asians, like the Romans, are a lot less sheltered than most of us when it comes to preparing and eating food. If you want to buy ingredients you visit the market, and very quickly get used to the sights and sounds of chickens being killed and cows having no heads - and heaven forbid if you don't use every last little bit of the animal! Continuing on, stalls were stacked high with countless herbs and spices, and people peddled fruit and vegetables which I never knew existed! This raises an important question - if we can't even cook an authentic Thai green curry because we don't have the correct ingredients, how can we ever hope to recreate Roman recipes?<br />
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One ingredient which we can be a bit more certain about is that Roman staple, <i>liquamen</i>, made now in much the same manner as it was all those centuries ago. I was lucky enough (depending on who you talk to that is) to visit a Vietnamese fish sauce factory. Fish were caught in the village, fermented in large vats for around a year, and the liquid was drawn off. Tasty. Here are several pictures of the fish-sauce-making-process:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87GLGkuTjlp1zCa5cU-IPWEXnlTKxTHHvsipFXqFVjVPg_SE1UEK_NbmPODqQzD994gq1pyVIGBSFNRQl6QYDXJilVn3LSDEomvNw3lF0ENwKT88fdQQOw0-B4AUAfCxCgafZ7zrlkRe3/s1600/_DSC0633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87GLGkuTjlp1zCa5cU-IPWEXnlTKxTHHvsipFXqFVjVPg_SE1UEK_NbmPODqQzD994gq1pyVIGBSFNRQl6QYDXJilVn3LSDEomvNw3lF0ENwKT88fdQQOw0-B4AUAfCxCgafZ7zrlkRe3/s400/_DSC0633.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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Perhaps the biggest insight I gained into Asian food was how social it was - SE Asians typically take to the streets in the evening to hunt out their favourite foods, with tables and chairs filling every bit of available space. Meals, with all of their added revelry, can last long into the night, with conversation flowing just as fast as the food. Ancient Rome was much the same in many respects; the vast majority of people simply did not have the space or facilities to cook elaborate meals, so they headed out in search of food - we can only imagine what the atmosphere might have been like!<br />
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With all this added insight and experience, we're now ready to get back to good old Roman cooking - well, almost. I'm in the process of moving house, and will have to reacquire a few important ingredients first, but once I do we'll have some great recipes ready to get us started again. Keep your eyes peeled!<br />
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Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-57285029111850716792013-06-21T13:25:00.002+01:002013-06-21T13:26:10.371+01:00Pass the Garum goes on holiday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In just a few days time I'll be hopping on the next trireme to SE Asia to start a summer full of adventures. I've thought and pondered about how I might keep Pass the Garum up-to-date, but in the end have decided that the website will take a break for the next 7 or 8 weeks. That means there will be no new recipes until mid-August at the earliest. Not to worry though, you have a whole <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/p/ingredients.html"><b>30</b></a> Roman recipes to keep you going until then!<br />
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If you can, like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PassTheGarum">Facebook</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/PasstheGarum">Twitter</a>, or subscribe via email or RSS to be the first to find out when we get cooking once more.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-52265356080102388452013-06-10T20:54:00.000+01:002013-06-10T20:54:27.493+01:00Lentil and Root Veg Mash with Spelt Lagana (Part 2 of 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcTjO53Fm308HOByZGYJ52MhFDW290B4VaVDLEQYaSD_OF7Y84iN2c0FVs8yAmuAvALZLr_Dzj4jQXXyhiuKQwr6GUmJJOCiQBorBpxWn_5BEfZF_YacU0IkE6XtToDM-qcd_4UlsmuyR/s1600/_DSC0150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcTjO53Fm308HOByZGYJ52MhFDW290B4VaVDLEQYaSD_OF7Y84iN2c0FVs8yAmuAvALZLr_Dzj4jQXXyhiuKQwr6GUmJJOCiQBorBpxWn_5BEfZF_YacU0IkE6XtToDM-qcd_4UlsmuyR/s400/_DSC0150.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Roman food, as the picture suggests, was a bit hands on - our favourite soldiers and senators didn't use cutlery very much, preferring instead to tuck in with their fingers and toes (ok, not toes) instead. That makes eating <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/lentil-and-root-veg-mash-with-spelt.html">Lentil and Root Veg Mash</a> a bit tricky, which is why we shall serve it with some <i>lagana</i> - a type of Roman flatbread.<br />
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Flatbread is great stuff - all you need is flour, water, and a hot surface. With no need for yeast or fancy ovens, this is the kind of bread which anybody, rich or poor, could eat. I'm making mine with Spelt flour, a type of flour used in Roman Britain. I know Spelt can be quite tricky to find though, so feel free to use whatever flour you can find.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Laganum</b></span></i></div>
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<b>(Makes 4)</b></div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<li>100g Spelt Flour (+ extra for dusting)</li>
<li>Water</li>
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Methods</h3>
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<li>Prepare a work surface by sprinkling over some flour.</li>
<li>Sieve 100g of flour into a bowl, and add just enough water to form a dough. Knead this by hand, adding more flour as necessary, until it is neither too wet nor dry.</li>
<li>Divide the ball of dough into four equal pieces. Roll these one at a time until they are flat, disc-shaped, and uniformly thin.</li>
<li>Add a drop of oil to a frying pan, and when it is hot enough, set a <i>laganum</i> in. As it cooks, it will start to puff-up in places as pockets of air are formed. When dark spots start to form on the underside, flip it over. Each side should take about a minute to cook. If needs be, press down on the top side to speed things up.</li>
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Results</h3>
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Despite being just flour and water, these <i>lagana</i> are great eaten straight out of the pan; the nutty flavour of spelt works wonderfully in this instance (in fact, it left my kitchen smelling vaguely of popcorn!) When eating with the mash, just rip a bit of bread off and use it to pick up some of the lentil & root veg goodness - it tastes good, and keeps your fingers nice and clean!</div>
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<br />Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-85147500185896144382013-06-10T17:34:00.000+01:002013-06-10T17:34:27.099+01:00Lentil and Root Veg Mash with Spelt Lagana (Part 1 of 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The sun has now been shining for the fifth day in row (a rarity here in Northern Ireland!), and feeling inspired by all the bright colours, I thought we'd give this lentil and root vegetable mash a try. As you can see, it looks lovely and bright and cheery, but does it taste that way too?<br />
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In this first post we'll make the mash itself, and in the next we'll cook up some simple spelt-flour flatbread to eat it with. The original recipe only calls for parsnip (and we know how good <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/parsnip-mash-and-salt-pork.html">they taste!</a>), but I see this as a perfect opportunity to cook some carrots too. (<b>Fun fact:</b> Carrots were <a href="http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/photos/purple3.jpg">purple</a> in antiquity!) To make this recipe more accessible, we'll be leaving out 'fleabane', a daisy-like plant which is no longer used in cooking.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lentil and Root Veg Mash</b></span></div>
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(Serves 2)</div>
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<b>"Boil the lentils in a clean pan with some salt. In the mortar, crush some pepper, cumin, coriander seed, rue, and fleabane. Add vinegar, honey, <i>liquamen</i>, & <i>defrutum</i>. Mix this with the lentils. Cook and mash parsnips, and add to the lentils. When it is cooked, add some extra virgin olive oil and serve appropriately."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, 5.2.1</div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLKqjh1Ld7lvvtYdUcAPqwlmSZEz2Y7cBkKL0mz0wODrCfqvAXnhp5vePYRxmPAmxubzOcDl5xDv1F2zwBTG7Ifscml8gxUVs8cspVmzO_6ShAW40n-w1CbOHmXh1BqV6smNetd6s2EIg/s1600/_DSC0128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLKqjh1Ld7lvvtYdUcAPqwlmSZEz2Y7cBkKL0mz0wODrCfqvAXnhp5vePYRxmPAmxubzOcDl5xDv1F2zwBTG7Ifscml8gxUVs8cspVmzO_6ShAW40n-w1CbOHmXh1BqV6smNetd6s2EIg/s400/_DSC0128.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<li>1 Parsnip</li>
<li>1 Carrot</li>
<li>100g Split Red Lentils</li>
<li>1 tsp Coriander Seeds</li>
<li>1 tsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/rue.html">Rue</a></li>
<li>1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Black Pepper</li>
<li>1 tsp <i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/garum.html">Liquamen</a></i></li>
<li>1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>1.5 tbsp Honey</li>
<li>3 tbsp <i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/caroenum.html">Caroenum</a></i></li>
<li>1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</li>
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Methods</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Add the lentils to a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover them. Throw in a pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. This will take approximately 20-30 minutes, and will require you to add more water every once in a while.</li>
<li>Peel and chop up the carrot and parsnip, set them into a saucepan full of water, and bring to the boil.</li>
<li>Whilst everything is boiling away, toast the various herbs and spices in a dry frying pan for around a minute, being careful not to burn them. Grind them all up together in a mortar and pestle.</li>
<li>Once the lentils have turned to mush and the liquid has largely boiled away, add the spice mix and pour in the various liquids (except the oil). Stir it all together and let it simmer while you sort out the root vegetables.</li>
<li>When the parsnips and carrots are cooked, drain the water from the pan and mash them up.</li>
</ul>
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<li>Mix the lentils and root vegetables together with the tbsp of olive oil. Heat in the pan for a little while longer until the liquids have mostly evaporated. Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
Results</h3>
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This mash makes for a remarkably filling meal - I had intended this recipe to serve just one, but it quickly became apparent that I would need help to finish it! Besides being filling, the dish was delicious. The lentils added a subtle, salty flavour to the meal, providing a wonderful backdrop to the sweetness of the parsnips and carrots. The sweetness of the root vegetables was further emphasised by the <i>caroenum</i> and honey, and the saltiness of the lentils by our friend the fish sauce. The dish was afforded some warmth by the cumin and coriander seeds, but rather amazingly, the stand out flavour and aroma came from the rue, despite so little being used. Final verdict? Filling and flavoursome - always a good combination.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-57459032378270855042013-06-03T15:20:00.000+01:002013-06-03T15:20:58.857+01:00Parsnip Mash and Salt Pork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-WpkbvtvpchKfiXWW27C2d4J6zZoYCmkJ2RHErTO7EpQiHEytV_HN-3zY152mISW9gBvZX5JxDNyK2mZjewmyymFa27d0DOxZGnBpZxAnhALaQPLPPwBn7BIW8OMhA3P4NSbnVe7ton_/s1600/_DSC0294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-WpkbvtvpchKfiXWW27C2d4J6zZoYCmkJ2RHErTO7EpQiHEytV_HN-3zY152mISW9gBvZX5JxDNyK2mZjewmyymFa27d0DOxZGnBpZxAnhALaQPLPPwBn7BIW8OMhA3P4NSbnVe7ton_/s400/_DSC0294.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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There is little which compares to the smell and taste of honey-roast parsnips lifted straight out of the oven; here is a food which gets me giddy with excitement! Not necessarily so for those ancient Romans and Greeks. Pliny's advice is to boil the life out of them so that you might rid them of their pungent flavour. Aretaeus, the ancient Greek physician, describes them as "bad, even when boiled... (The parsnip is) flatulent and swells in the stomach." On the plus side however, Pliny reckons that if you simply carry one with you, you'll never be stung by serpents, and it does offer at least <i>some</i> excitement; it is a well known fact, apparently, that it is a powerful aphrodisiac!<br />
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We're lucky that somebody decided parsnip was worth a go - the <i>Apicius</i> volume contains quite a lot of parsnip recipes. Let's see how they taste.<br />
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<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Parsnip Mash with Salt Pork</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 1 - multiply quantities accordingly for more)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Mash the parsnips, then add cumin, rue, <i>liquamen</i>, <i>passum</i>, oil, coriander leaves, and leeks. Serve. Goes well with salt pork."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, 3.20.4</div>
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQ7tlCcXfButtlsfiS9vifAWjQwPVnaJnUfJibDuBfp2xlHovTtZPvj7r94VbdV0OdYaZJbOnUqaQ7B-kpg9avgTqBYJVRMfaKH-ZwKoS6q-DgWYNwlNwLbBqTjqK1lOGEKoPhEEjANrk/s1600/_DSC0293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQ7tlCcXfButtlsfiS9vifAWjQwPVnaJnUfJibDuBfp2xlHovTtZPvj7r94VbdV0OdYaZJbOnUqaQ7B-kpg9avgTqBYJVRMfaKH-ZwKoS6q-DgWYNwlNwLbBqTjqK1lOGEKoPhEEjANrk/s320/_DSC0293.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Slices Of Bacon or Salt Pork</li>
<li>1 Parsnip</li>
<li>1 Inch Of Leek</li>
<li>1 tsp Coriander</li>
<li>1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds</li>
<li>1/2 tsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/rue.html">Rue</a></li>
<li>1 tbsp <i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/garum.html">Liquamen</a></i></li>
<li>1 tbsp Olive Oil</li>
<li>1/2 tbsp <i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/passum-raisin-wine.html">Passum</a></i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Methods</h3>
<ul>
<li>Chop the parsnip up into chunks - this makes for easier boiling and mashing. Add them to a pan of boiling water for 15-20 minutes, or until done.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds and grind with the rue, coriander, and leek. Mix this with the <i>liquamen</i>, <i>passum</i>, and olive oil.</li>
<li>If using bacon, grill or fry it. If you are using salt pork, boil it in water for a few minutes before frying it, or else it will be unbearably salty.</li>
<li>When the parsnip is boiled, drain away the water and mash it up. Add all of the herbs, spices, and liquids. Mix this together so that it is well blended. Serve with the pork and enjoy.</li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
Bacon and parsnip make for good bed-fellows - the sweetness of the parsnip compliments (and counteracts) the saltiness of the meat, making this an ideal pairing, even without the addition of the various herbs and spices. In fact, when I first tried this dish I was convinced I couldn't even taste the added ingredients - it tasted just like parsnip! I tried cooking it again, this time adding more of each herb and spice, but the result was the same - all I could taste was parsnip. It was only when I ate mashed parsnip, without any additions, did I realise the effect these extra ingredients were having; they don't change the flavour of the vegetable, but rather they enhance it, emphasising its sweetness. This is a simple meal, but an enjoyable one which I heartily recommend.<br />
<br />
I also wish to point out (and I cannot do this enough) that this parsnip mash is, without a doubt, the perfect accompaniment to the remarkably popular <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/roast-dill-chicken.html">dill chicken recipe</a>.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-39602039128929664062013-05-21T00:03:00.000+01:002013-05-21T00:03:20.944+01:00Honey and Poppyseed "Dormice"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Several weeks ago <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolineLawrenc">Caroline Lawrence</a> very kindly sent me a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Secrets-Vesuvius-Mysteries-MYSTERIES/dp/1842550217/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368995699&sr=8-3&keywords=caroline+lawrence"><i>The Secrets of Vesuvius</i></a>, book 2 of 17 in her 'Roman Mysteries' series. The Roman Mysteries are works of historical fiction aimed at kids, introducing them to the <a href="http://www.romanmysteries.com/themes-and-topics">people and places</a> of the ancient world - they're the kind of books I wish I had growing up! In my eyes, anything which makes history more accessible to children is great, so this week I'm going to take inspiration from Caroline and create a kid-friendly dish. These "dormice" are easy to make, <i>very</i> tasty, and most importantly, they're fun.<br />
<br />
My inspiration comes from a passage in Caroline's first book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Thieves-Ostia-Caroline-Lawrence/dp/1842550209/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369088473&sr=8-1&keywords=thieves+of+ostia">The Thieves of Ostia</a></i> (used with the permission of the author of course):<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>'For our next course we're having dormice stuffed with chopped sows' udders,' she announced brightly.</b></div>
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<b>Mordecai and his children froze in horror.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Nubia looked blank.</b></div>
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<b>'Flavia...' said her father with a warning look.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>'Just joking,' giggled Flavia. 'My favourite food is really roast chicken. You do like roast chicken, don't you?'</b></div>
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</div>
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I love this scene - there's something truly Trimalchian about playing tricks with food! Of course, like Flavia, we're not really going to be serving up dormice - they're not exactly easy to come by in the shops!<br />
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<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Honey and Poppyseed Dormice</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"The dishes for the first course included... some small iron frames shaped like bridges supporting dormice sprinkled with honey and poppy seed."</b> - Petronius, <i>Trimalchio's Feast</i></div>
<i><br /></i>
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq0VGk1tN6sazmNCn1oMuNw-f3e_PhAUnwLIkT63HduzN5y_xwvJRUBMP61_-91zazADIf1hAlWxeCIbeX0OoBOrZS_Uk_KI9Td1uNDeNnW18iSvIPiDK5pKQZlULB3x9jxQ5OHeLDboz/s1600/_DSC0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq0VGk1tN6sazmNCn1oMuNw-f3e_PhAUnwLIkT63HduzN5y_xwvJRUBMP61_-91zazADIf1hAlWxeCIbeX0OoBOrZS_Uk_KI9Td1uNDeNnW18iSvIPiDK5pKQZlULB3x9jxQ5OHeLDboz/s400/_DSC0012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Chicken Thighs & Drumsticks</li>
<li>Extra Virgin Olive Oil</li>
<li>Honey</li>
<li>Poppy Seeds</li>
<li>Salt</li>
<li>Pepper</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Methods</h3>
<ul>
<li>Rinse the chicken and cut off all the nasty bits. Leave the skin on if you want the 'mice' to be nice and crispy! Once rinsed, pat the chicken dry.</li>
<li>Set the chicken onto an oiled/greased baking tray, making sure to rub some of the oil into the skin. Season with salt and pepper and place into the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes at 180 Celsius.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Just before the chicken is due to come out of the oven, gently heat some honey in a pan, and sprinkle some poppy seeds out onto a plate.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Whenever it looks ready, roll the cooked chicken around in the honey and then the poppy seeds. When all is done, pour the remaining honey and poppy seeds over the top of the chicken.</li>
<li>To make our thighs and drumsticks look more 'mousey' we're going to add some tails - stick a cocktail stick into each bit of chicken, as shown below. Having the mouse on a stick also makes it much more easy to eat! The drumsticks are already rather mouse-shaped, so you can leave them be.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zchKIaQnMoL9XNdK_pX0cd53WqaIxrTuEJdByqzOf9OItUkZFpTTKx_9uf0E_Ku3BfqCBvarrHBELGZklw_7pydft81eMBiwq8DJUp2uwuWFurMSq3lmZW-uar31scs-nTKCBhHlIQlT/s1600/_DSC0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zchKIaQnMoL9XNdK_pX0cd53WqaIxrTuEJdByqzOf9OItUkZFpTTKx_9uf0E_Ku3BfqCBvarrHBELGZklw_7pydft81eMBiwq8DJUp2uwuWFurMSq3lmZW-uar31scs-nTKCBhHlIQlT/s400/_DSC0031.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Notes</h3>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Ingredient quantities depend entirely on how many mice you mean to make!</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
Our 'dormice' are sweet and crispy, with a slight crunch coming from the poppy seeds. In short, they're delicious, and I dare say Flavia would be pleased. Much more than that, they're seriously simple to make, allowing you to add a taste of ancient Rome to your dinner/party/classroom without the hassle of chopping herbs and grinding spices.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-58360513713996115442013-05-12T23:43:00.001+01:002013-05-12T23:49:05.325+01:00Asparagus Patina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78thHi_5w_xx-QwzoE2WiLcY5gRfsM6cJ1ozvI9vXmh0zl13hMoB1s-o5Dufz_DlXNqyWoHoomTbJcZbNhglZqK82jbfAtmEwhXrQo0L_tyUhL0UYoWACAnI3WM2aAa639T1Trd8NfBba/s1600/_DSC0326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78thHi_5w_xx-QwzoE2WiLcY5gRfsM6cJ1ozvI9vXmh0zl13hMoB1s-o5Dufz_DlXNqyWoHoomTbJcZbNhglZqK82jbfAtmEwhXrQo0L_tyUhL0UYoWACAnI3WM2aAa639T1Trd8NfBba/s400/_DSC0326.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Future historians will no doubt be equal parts amused and confused by the <a href="http://www.britishasparagusfestival.org/">Asparagus Festival</a>, an eight week celebration of the British asparagus season which sees people wear all manner of silly costumes and paint themselves several shades of green. To celebrate this season I think it's only appropriate to cook up a Roman Asparagus Patina, given that it was the Romans who brought this most delicious of plants to Britain in the first place!<br />
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The 'Patina' is rather difficult to explain; all Patinas are egg-based, however some resemble oven-baked custards, whilst others are closer to frittatas and omelettes. Regardless of how they turn out, they make for very tasty eating all the same. So, whilst asparagus is at its finest, I urge you to go out, buy some, and get baking.<br />
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<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Asparagus Patina</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 4)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Make Asparagus Patina as follows: put asparagus tips into a mortar and add pepper, lovage, green coriander, savory and onions. Dilute this with wine, <i>liquamen</i>, and olive oil. Add this mixture to a well greased pan, adding some beaten eggs to thicken it if you like. Cook without boiling the eggs and serve with finely ground pepper." </b>- <i>Apicius</i>, 4.2.6</div>
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
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<ul>
<li>10-15 Asparagus Spears</li>
<li>180 ml White Wine</li>
<li>25 ml Fish Sauce (<i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/garum.html">Liquamen</a></i>)</li>
<li>25 ml Raisin Wine (<i><a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/passum-raisin-wine.html">Passum</a></i>)</li>
<li>40 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Black Pepper</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Lovage Seeds</li>
<li>1/2 Small Onion</li>
<li>2 tbsp Fresh Coriander</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Methods</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Using just the tips of the asparagus seems rather wasteful, so we're going to prepare the whole lot. Set 4 spears to the side for garnishing the dish at the end, and steam what is left for just a few minutes until tender. Make sure to chop off the woody ends.</li>
<li>Grind up the peppercorns and lovage and chop up the onions and coriander. Add these, alongside all of the liquids (leaving a bit of oil for later), to a food processor. The following magical transformation should occur.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pour this mixture into an oiled baking dish of some sort. I am using the base of my tajine, but any oven proof dish should do the trick. After spreading the mixture out, crack two eggs onto the top and beat them in thoroughly.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>This will take approximately 25 minutes in an oven set to 180 Celsius.</li>
<li>The dish is cooked when it is omelette-like in consistency. Use the asparagus spears you left over at the beginning to garnish the dish. Sprinkle with a touch of pepper and serve straight away. One similar recipe in <i>Apicius </i>(an Asparagus Patina with the addition of cooked bird embryos - no thanks!) suggests that it can be eaten cold, so refrigerate any leftovers and give that a go if you think you might enjoy it.</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Notes</h3>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Rather unusually, this Asparagus Patina recipe seems to suggest that the eggs are optional. The asparagus patina listed just prior to this one in <i>Apicius</i> (the one with the bird embryos) doesn't! My explanation is that if you cooked the Asparagus mush without adding the eggs, you'd end up with an omelette-like consistency anyway.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<h3>
Results
</h3>
<div>
<br />
The patina was light, fluffy, and full of subtle flavours. The initial taste is of the fragrant coriander, followed by the bitter, celery-like taste of the lovage seeds. As you might expect, we finish on delicious, delicious asparagus. This is a great and unusual way to cook the plant, and one which would work well as a starter to meals both ancient and modern. Although you would lose some of the subtle flavours, you could very easily leave out the fish sauce, lovage seeds and raisin wine if needs be. Enjoy it whilst asparagus is at its finest!</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-63537869028455622862013-05-06T11:50:00.000+01:002013-05-06T11:57:30.457+01:00Roman Seafood Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifo7ZqG14MfteJVz4ffbNB9CcuBDcSbN3WqZyXfzVIbpk4fQDdCXZzDkDPrc5fQXl23aNGZp6VK5FxMLZ5uEqyU4XiiRmC4Wj32Mzhj4-JFQdROBim39W346OkJY7pXEUyasJJfLVgL1QA/s1600/_DSC0119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifo7ZqG14MfteJVz4ffbNB9CcuBDcSbN3WqZyXfzVIbpk4fQDdCXZzDkDPrc5fQXl23aNGZp6VK5FxMLZ5uEqyU4XiiRmC4Wj32Mzhj4-JFQdROBim39W346OkJY7pXEUyasJJfLVgL1QA/s400/_DSC0119.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
The Greek manner of preparing fish is, as we have learnt, simple yet successful - cook it as you catch it, and if you absolutely have to touch it, stick to a sprinkle of cheese or a pinch of cumin. Now, it's back to the beautiful complexity of Roman recipes, with lists of ingredients as long as your sword and a journey of flavours as epic as the Illiad.<br />
<br />
At first glance, <i>Apicius</i> offers a vast array of seafood sauces, but a closer look reveals that they are all virtually identical! Common to almost all of them are pepper, mint, lovage, rue, dates, honey, oil, and vinegar. The Romans clearly liked their fish to be swimming with sweetness. Let's see how well that works.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Roman Seafood Sauce</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 2 as main, or several as a starter)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Pepper, Lovage, Celery Seed, Mint, Rue, Figdate or Date Syrup, Honey, Vinegar, Wine. Also suitable for sardines."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, ix.10.5</div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippgGK__XaK2qM16rSVmqT8ft-m8wXJB8_uU0hF8RJ8qqF0Xv5Ufp1esfnyyAmrMkBwBLfr0Qut8Em9L2rhchownRdGfivYf8GrNRElQ4GhmGPXBNe_7WcyioXjDih53ZRwYtlB_xA6aDc/s1600/_DSC0097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippgGK__XaK2qM16rSVmqT8ft-m8wXJB8_uU0hF8RJ8qqF0Xv5Ufp1esfnyyAmrMkBwBLfr0Qut8Em9L2rhchownRdGfivYf8GrNRElQ4GhmGPXBNe_7WcyioXjDih53ZRwYtlB_xA6aDc/s320/_DSC0097.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is without the mint, and plus soap<br />
(which you probably shouldn't use)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Mackerel Fillets</li>
<li>Small Handful Fresh Mint</li>
<li>1/2 tsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/lovage-seed.html">Lovage Seeds</a> (or Celery Seed)</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Black Pepper</li>
<li>1 tsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/rue.html">Rue</a></li>
<li>1 tbsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/date-paste.html">Date Paste</a></li>
<li>1 tbsp Honey</li>
<li>2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar</li>
<li>2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</li>
<li>50 ml White Wine</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Methods</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Add the rue, lovage and pepper to a dry frying pan and heat them until they start to give off an aroma. At this point, remove them and grind them up.</li>
<li>Combine all the liquids, herbs and spices in a food processor and let loose. If you wish to use a mortar and pestle, make sure to chop the mint up first.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>This is what you're going to marinate the fish in for a few hours, so once you have <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/1032/filleting-a-round-fish">prepared</a> the fish fillets, combine everything together in a shallow casserole dish. This goes into the fridge for a couple of hours.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNymjYfoRgkfb044qvOuXMmPUe60ss7Vgh1fA6jT3vfBfjsPdsM5uPtFi4IEkNWSNFk-ugIvxA2VBakZQT01y4wf5bCUuH5uU8uzzfTpXvzwlCGljk6aAEjzJgo3zLDUeTijZcemYEJjsX/s1600/_DSC0099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNymjYfoRgkfb044qvOuXMmPUe60ss7Vgh1fA6jT3vfBfjsPdsM5uPtFi4IEkNWSNFk-ugIvxA2VBakZQT01y4wf5bCUuH5uU8uzzfTpXvzwlCGljk6aAEjzJgo3zLDUeTijZcemYEJjsX/s320/_DSC0099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>I cooked the fish, sauce and all, in an earthenware dish on a gas hob for around 25 minutes. If you want, you can place the whole lot in an oven at 180 Celsius for 20 minutes to achieve the same effect. Grainger suggests removing the fish from the marinade, cooking it on a griddle, then heating and pouring over some of the sauce.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Notes</h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The recipe isn't much of a recipe, but rather a list of ingredients.</li>
<li>I chose not to use both celery seed <i>and</i> lovage, because their flavours are remarkably similar. Instead, I chose to use more of just one, rather than a little of each.</li>
<li>As ever, I advise you to use caution with the <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/rue.html">rue</a> - if in doubt, leave it out!</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I couldn't wait to try this, so dropped the knife and fork and tucked straight in with hands and fingers. It was beautiful, sharing that same 'tangy-sweetness' common to so much Roman cooking. The fish was delicate and soft and had soaked up a lot of sweetness from the honey and date paste. The initial taste came from the sharpness of the vinegar and wine, but was soon tempered by the fragrance of the mint. This fish was surprisingly rich in comparison to the cheesy-fish of the Greeks, which is why I reckon it would do two people as a main - I would be inclined to serve it as a starter for several people instead. Overall, I think that my favourite ancient fish recipe is last week's ancient Greek <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/mackerel-with-cumin-cheese-and-oil.html">Mackerel with Cumin, Cheese, and Oil</a>, but it's up to you to decide which you prefer.</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-47577028692049347492013-04-29T13:01:00.000+01:002013-04-29T13:19:19.413+01:00Mackerel with Cumin, Cheese, and Oil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftgEFA8BNnd_6dtrDcAi5AlkmufSCKJWMKTI68W_zUDIUDIqfPEXf_I4q8vRiSydielZuGxkVyUAl1PaPhOXKeAQzcQwLZRjVgxh6XVH5VXerHGI1yH8JAHQ3YD5IZbq68-N_c3Woxw1x/s1600/_DSC0107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftgEFA8BNnd_6dtrDcAi5AlkmufSCKJWMKTI68W_zUDIUDIqfPEXf_I4q8vRiSydielZuGxkVyUAl1PaPhOXKeAQzcQwLZRjVgxh6XVH5VXerHGI1yH8JAHQ3YD5IZbq68-N_c3Woxw1x/s320/_DSC0107.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/baked-mackerel-and-cheese.html">Last week</a> we opened up a whole new world of possibility when we discovered that you can indeed cook fish and cheese together to good effect. This week we're going to try and see just how good that combination can be.<br />
<br />
The original recipe calls for bream from Carthage or Byzantium, but if bream is unavailable to you, or if your local Byzantine merchant can't get his hands on any, then feel free to settle for another type of fish as I have. It also calls for a clay oven, which, unless you're an experimental archaeologist, I'm guessing you won't have (in fact, very few Romans had them as well!).<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mackerel with Cumin, Cheese, and Oil</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 1 as main, or several as a starter)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"When you're by the sea at Carthage, bake some bream after washing it well. You'll find great big bream in Byzantium too, their bodies the size of round shields! Work with the fish whole. Once you have coated the fish with cheese and oil, hang it up in a hot clay oven and bake it through. Once done, sprinkle with cumin and salt, and drench it with divine grey-green oil."</b> - Archestratus fr. 13, as recorded in Athenaeus, <i>Deipnosophistae</i>, 320b-c</div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXdvZ-wJtbXtuu_JkP2kkOCFsmlWVdD3vmk9PMItzphJqt-LUQUzMbH5vCcZxrpFTUj3hU3qptuKV2-T_1D30Hz5fr1qmVj4ISRoos_CupE-0h0F1quX6Ma-soO_0poMin8V3DNjcr76G/s1600/_DSC0092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXdvZ-wJtbXtuu_JkP2kkOCFsmlWVdD3vmk9PMItzphJqt-LUQUzMbH5vCcZxrpFTUj3hU3qptuKV2-T_1D30Hz5fr1qmVj4ISRoos_CupE-0h0F1quX6Ma-soO_0poMin8V3DNjcr76G/s400/_DSC0092.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 Fresh Mackerel (or Fillets) </li>
<li>1/2 tsp Salt</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds</li>
<li>Some Hard Italian Cheese (Gran Padano, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano)</li>
<li>4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Methods</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The recipe does specifically say to use the whole fish, but you don't have to if it's too much hassle. If, like me, you have chosen to use a whole fish, prepare it accordingly by following the advice in <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/1032/filleting-a-round-fish">this video</a>. With the head chopped off, spine removed, and fish laid out flat, it's on to the next step.</li>
<li>Grate as much cheese as you think it might take to cover the whole fish. You're supposed to cover it on both sides, but feel free to just cover the top if it is easier. Mix this cheese with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, creating a paste. Spread this on the fish.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjoEGuV5FQXMEXwZhm-RF9n7oPOWSxuadBu0A6q8s5S81XpP869qQ0UNTvXS8DLX-HM_uceOPc4om38Shjpv1ToZ9XeCQVjM8KcfRQ14H9RZOHYAjFhuDPA_eM3DiL_FCIAlqYcF_5hJ9/s1600/_DSC0105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjoEGuV5FQXMEXwZhm-RF9n7oPOWSxuadBu0A6q8s5S81XpP869qQ0UNTvXS8DLX-HM_uceOPc4om38Shjpv1ToZ9XeCQVjM8KcfRQ14H9RZOHYAjFhuDPA_eM3DiL_FCIAlqYcF_5hJ9/s400/_DSC0105.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Lay out some parchment paper on a baking tray, and set the fish onto this. If you don't have parchment paper, brush the tray with olive oil. Place this into an oven preheated to 180 Celsius.</li>
<li>Whilst the fish is in the oven, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to give off an aroma. Grind them up and mix with the salt. If it's easier, use pre-ground cumin.</li>
<li>After 20 minutes in the oven, your fish should be wonderfully cooked. Take it out and sprinkle with the cumin/salt mixture; a big pinch should do it. Drizzle with the remaining spoonful of olive oil, and serve it up to your hungry guests.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
This has quickly catapulted its way to the top of the ancient fish dish pile, and I reckon it might just be one of my favourite ancient recipes so far. Last week we learnt that fish and cheese can work well, but on the whole it was just that bit too rich and oily. The kick of the cumin sees to that nicely, imparting a wonderful fragrance and spiciness. If ever you want an example of how fish and cheese can work well, give this recipe a go.</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-75361359035732820242013-04-22T10:52:00.000+01:002013-04-22T10:52:20.611+01:00Baked Mackerel and Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCv8b2YQ3B9rtORwbEIoQvLp537Fwhx-9yvnN22HJMce1V39iV9hcYCGwuju6bPRjpSvyAXe5j54mHQBb5qRlav6KI9su1hugME0l7g8FVoil1er6Kk6myNAZfyv-TETlOFGbM1IEZXWy/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCv8b2YQ3B9rtORwbEIoQvLp537Fwhx-9yvnN22HJMce1V39iV9hcYCGwuju6bPRjpSvyAXe5j54mHQBb5qRlav6KI9su1hugME0l7g8FVoil1er6Kk6myNAZfyv-TETlOFGbM1IEZXWy/s400/Untitled-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The kitchen can be a bit hectic whilst cooking four fishy recipes at once, so I maybe possibly forgot to take a proper picture of this dish. Still, whilst the above snap might not be the best looking, you can see enough to know that this week, we're drowning our mackerel in cheese.<br />
<br />
Listen! Do you hear that? That's the sound of <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/the-fish-and-cheese-debate-the-76178">millions of Italians gasping in horror</a>! And what's that? Why, it's the chef from Philemon's <i>Soldier</i> <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/mackerel-in-coriander-crust.html">complaining once more</a> about fish 'drugged senseless with cheese'. See, for some reason, fish and cheese just isn't done - cookbooks warn against it, and restaurants never offer it. Thus, it is with some hesitancy that I approach this week's recipe. Should we be worried? Did the fish-lovers of ancient Athens <i>really</i> have it all wrong? There's only one way to find out.<br />
<br />
<div class="recipe">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Baked Mackerel and Cheese</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Serves 1 as a main, or several as a starter)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>"Cook:</u> Do you know how to cook mackerel?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Slave:</u> I would if you'd just tell me!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Cook:</u> Cut out the gills, wash it, chop off the fins and spines, then split it in half and spread it out nicely. Whip it well with silphium, then cover it in cheese, salt, and marjoram."</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Alexis 138, as recorded in Athenaeus, <i>Deipnosophistae</i>, 322c-d</div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKX0LXl4TLuvYaeUyrvzgkjiWS19PqWNipHxOXuk1gfsP0jrQE5uoMjsueLeX1C9erGicuVpmpk8yDW8O9QsFpbD7izHAtfZHM6w-LHbwPQKRhzU6Au3vMobWFIxDfUwTAmGAUaGn2SYDf/s1600/_DSC0095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKX0LXl4TLuvYaeUyrvzgkjiWS19PqWNipHxOXuk1gfsP0jrQE5uoMjsueLeX1C9erGicuVpmpk8yDW8O9QsFpbD7izHAtfZHM6w-LHbwPQKRhzU6Au3vMobWFIxDfUwTAmGAUaGn2SYDf/s320/_DSC0095.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 Fresh Mackerel (or Un-Smoked Mackerel Fillets)</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Salt</li>
<li>1 tsp Asafoetida</li>
<li>Some Hard Italian Cheese (Gran Padano, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano)</li>
<li>Fresh or Dried Marjoram or Rosemary</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Methods</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>For this dish it's best to use the whole fish, skin and all, rather than just the fillets. You want to chop the head off, take out the spine, and lay the fish out flat, skin side down. For an idea of how to handle mackerel, please <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/1032/filleting-a-round-fish">watch this video</a>.</li>
<li>Sprinkle the salt and asafoetida all over the fish.</li>
<li>Grate as much cheese as is needed to cover the little critter. Roughly mix this cheese with whatever herbs you've decided to use, and set atop the fish.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrPjiO481sbo6F98_4dVJj5lccDNnhtLAWmKsf5szvp-rET7YiZ403RVIvj6_nanuFD5kvRDZYDfBhZytFBhX2CBRhPYKtyqAaCwhfLKfo1hX2xS1jSHr2RMZcRxQIPHl_jsZlIviNgN4/s1600/_DSC0101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrPjiO481sbo6F98_4dVJj5lccDNnhtLAWmKsf5szvp-rET7YiZ403RVIvj6_nanuFD5kvRDZYDfBhZytFBhX2CBRhPYKtyqAaCwhfLKfo1hX2xS1jSHr2RMZcRxQIPHl_jsZlIviNgN4/s320/_DSC0101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Onto a greased baking tray, and into a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes at 180 Celsius. Job done!</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Results</h3>
<br />
To all those waiting with baited breath, scared that the cheese would overpower the fish, you can relax. Your fears about combining these two ingredients were, in this case at least, unfounded. It was still very apparent that this was mackerel we were eating, the fishiness not lost to the pungency of the asafoetida and cheese. All in all it tasted nice, but just nice - this isn't something to write home about. I think part of the reason was that the dried herbs got lost somewhere along the way, when really they should have been there to cut through the oiliness of the whole affair. For future efforts I would be inclined to use fresh rosemary instead. Baked Mackerel and Cheese is certainly worth a try, if only the once.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-75649111080674142662013-04-15T12:12:00.000+01:002013-04-22T10:49:17.240+01:00Mackerel in a Coriander Crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUgCLUgD2ivkz3EkytGBYwv3ZPTR96v-pHe2vBZhoN41QRYPg242eYSjmtk6kNOfylWtgcD5l9MHmltHKBLcvIG6rlLO5_IIkX0Uf4Wig2e669pKtBe7elqGr27zfMtjY9_Wc96eop1YI/s1600/_DSC0116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUgCLUgD2ivkz3EkytGBYwv3ZPTR96v-pHe2vBZhoN41QRYPg242eYSjmtk6kNOfylWtgcD5l9MHmltHKBLcvIG6rlLO5_IIkX0Uf4Wig2e669pKtBe7elqGr27zfMtjY9_Wc96eop1YI/s400/_DSC0116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://podcasthistoryofourworld.blogspot.co.uk/">The Podcast History</a> recently set sail across the sea and arrived on the shores of ancient Greece, so to celebrate, I'm going to cook up a seafood feast. Fish was something which the Ancient Greeks <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/something-fishy-this-way-comes.html">loved</a>. For some of them, when it comes to fish, simplicity is key. A chef in Philemon's <i>Soldier</i> says:</div>
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<b>"How tender was the fish before me! What a dish I made of it! Not drugged senseless with cheese, nor window-boxed with dandifying herbs, it emerged from the oven as naked as the day it was born."</b> - Philemon, <i>The Soldier</i>, fr. 82</div>
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Whilst in Morocco, I had the chance to eat fish (lots of fish!) freshly caught, prepared, and grilled in front of me, and it was divine! Philemon's chef has it right - simplicity works - but it's hardly very exciting for you if I just throw a kipper under the grill. So, even though this first recipe has some of those 'dandifying herbs' we're told to avoid, and even though it's an <i>Apician</i> recipe, it is still remarkably simple, and would have appealed to the simple tastes of the chef above.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mackerel in a Coriander Crust</b></span></div>
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(Serves 1 as a main, or several as a starter)</div>
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<b>"Carefully prepare the fish. In a mortar and pestle, crush up some coriander seeds and salt, making sure to mix them well. Roll the fish around in this mixture, cover it, and bake it in the oven. When it's ready, sprinkle it with a strong vinegar and serve."</b> - <i>Apicius</i>, 10.1.4</div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fYOWVSDy2lZydAXqEGzGCZUNtBC7fcsVrzhh-BWdY0ALbCh9s1Ej3SYBl16GG1VGecmSfsiuJilGGXNhfd6n7gMhGFfWmL2-MTiVU2DVRor9icCPSGrp4ATz0M_dI5w7kPXSdySs_PqE/s1600/_DSC0087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fYOWVSDy2lZydAXqEGzGCZUNtBC7fcsVrzhh-BWdY0ALbCh9s1Ej3SYBl16GG1VGecmSfsiuJilGGXNhfd6n7gMhGFfWmL2-MTiVU2DVRor9icCPSGrp4ATz0M_dI5w7kPXSdySs_PqE/s320/_DSC0087.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>1 Fresh Mackerel (or Un-Smoked Mackerel Fillets)</li>
<li>50g Coriander Seeds</li>
<li>1 tbsp Salt</li>
<li>White Wine Vinegar</li>
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Methods</h3>
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<li>If you're using a whole mackerel, you need to fillet it. <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/1032/filleting-a-round-fish">Here's a video</a> showing you how to do just that. This can be quite tricky, so feel free to have a fish-monger do it for you, or just buy pre-cut mackerel fillets instead.</li>
<li>Next, grind up the coriander seeds and the salt - I used my trusty mortar and pestle to do this. Make sure everything is well mixed together.</li>
<li>Pat the fish dry and coat it in this mixture - just like bread-crumbing a fish. I didn't use quite enough when I was preparing mine, so use a bit more than in the picture below.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsBFQnRe5438A9YTaJxhm7eDnzTaI2GtAanEIMGA81tpHAGugK86XiXdbHVBymRy9c0LrrcvU73RNk5zKZMI123eCsqZ93AXYETNYKzBzMfyAW86EXWa3F9nVbpapJwAT-x6zBpGna1YR/s1600/_DSC0103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsBFQnRe5438A9YTaJxhm7eDnzTaI2GtAanEIMGA81tpHAGugK86XiXdbHVBymRy9c0LrrcvU73RNk5zKZMI123eCsqZ93AXYETNYKzBzMfyAW86EXWa3F9nVbpapJwAT-x6zBpGna1YR/s320/_DSC0103.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Place the fillets on an oiled baking tray and pop this in the oven at 180 Celsius for 15-20 minutes.</li>
<li>Once it comes out of the oven, pour a little white wine vinegar over each fillet to moisten it. After that, dig in and enjoy.</li>
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Results</h3>
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Superbly simple to prepare, and immensely enjoyable to eat. Coriander seed has a delicious citrusy taste, which shines through wonderfully. It also helps to cut through the oiliness of the fish, making this dish feel very light and fresh. Adding vinegar whilst serving adds a slight tang, but doesn't overwhelm the coriander flavours.</div>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-1273769340179195442013-04-14T13:43:00.001+01:002013-04-14T13:43:15.208+01:00Something Fishy This Way Comes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOg3K3rfnwROSd64sdLOBVcME0xaR3jEr-p5oZw_ccGSmoehyphenhyphenll6MxLMCLd872UKOItEglpyQ1znT4MOxQ6NIaKbO7CRcU5SzuPCLAFU2EnD2PdZGvq1Mi7ZjFGLFrtSOdOmVsuOQbGrp/s1600/_DSC0122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOg3K3rfnwROSd64sdLOBVcME0xaR3jEr-p5oZw_ccGSmoehyphenhyphenll6MxLMCLd872UKOItEglpyQ1znT4MOxQ6NIaKbO7CRcU5SzuPCLAFU2EnD2PdZGvq1Mi7ZjFGLFrtSOdOmVsuOQbGrp/s400/_DSC0122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After a week of <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Reviews">waxing lyrical</a> about 'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum', it's back to business, or rather back to the kitchen. To coincide with the Podcast History of the World's <a href="http://podcasthistoryofourworld.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/27-prehistory-in-aegean.html">introduction to the Greeks</a>, in response to several requests on Twitter, Facebook, and via email, and simply because it's about time, we're going to spend the next month cooking up some fish! The first three recipes are Greek, prepared with the frugality characteristic of their cuisine. Each dish kicks it up a notch, adding a little bit more and a little bit more, until we come to our final fishy feast, which is Roman. So far we've only encountered fish fermented and poured from a bottle - we know the ancients loved that, but what did they make of the real thing?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvP9gT384GzuIe02yWPgkKiCTwp0nHY8b7_fRZ7O-CGXYUebPJVLFa_S9Dic5HZ-TfvXLqkwRr_VYgUire5ADHyaBPPmw2HtaPxKYcNkqVVEaWE5BnmmLJZnulxUiWBEIzdMMkaHIgNfRQ/s1600/_DSC0080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvP9gT384GzuIe02yWPgkKiCTwp0nHY8b7_fRZ7O-CGXYUebPJVLFa_S9Dic5HZ-TfvXLqkwRr_VYgUire5ADHyaBPPmw2HtaPxKYcNkqVVEaWE5BnmmLJZnulxUiWBEIzdMMkaHIgNfRQ/s320/_DSC0080.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<b>"What other craft gets youthful lips burning, gets their fingers fumbling, has their lungs gasping for air, in their haste to swallow? And isn't it only when it's well-supplied with fish that the agora brings about liaisons?"</b> - Anaxandrides, <i>Odysseus</i>, fr. 34 K-A</div>
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What we learn from Anaxandrides, who describes the fish-monger and his art in almost sexual terms, is that it is fish which brings people to the market, and fish which gets them excited. Given that the Greeks populated rocky outcrops and rugged islands, it shouldn't be surprising that many of them relied on the sea for food, and the reverence with which they speak about fish becomes all the more understandable. Fish pervades not just Greek cuisine, but Greek literature and language too. To get a sense of just how much this is true, I implore you to pick up a copy of James Davidson's excellent <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Courtesans-Fishcakes-Consuming-Passions-Classical/dp/0006863434">'Courtesans and Fishcakes'</a>, a book which explores 'the consuming passions of classical Athens'.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDGQCQ-1XVPsqf-BgLy9yni4IMvgPWzWc2xax-rZ4cmKJNuoFZUQOYSKtgWBd3hdfNeIkhFEo-BtkLEQWDs_JbEIKwA8S7vJSv8iZAk2RqgD21GitDbjFZeKZLlbfnXEhQpxAtasl5mS0/s1600/01183687_004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDGQCQ-1XVPsqf-BgLy9yni4IMvgPWzWc2xax-rZ4cmKJNuoFZUQOYSKtgWBd3hdfNeIkhFEo-BtkLEQWDs_JbEIKwA8S7vJSv8iZAk2RqgD21GitDbjFZeKZLlbfnXEhQpxAtasl5mS0/s320/01183687_004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fish Mosaic from Pompeii </b><br />©SANP</td></tr>
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Many modern commentators like to stress that Rome wasn't quite so taken with fish as the Greeks; sometimes they even paint a picture of Romans turning their noses up at seafood! Quite honestly, I am not sure where this attitude stems from, as <i>Apicius</i> alone has close to one hundred seafood recipes. However, since Rome had plenty of fertile fields (in contrast to the mountainous, rocky Greek countryside), it wasn't quite so reliant on the sea as the Greeks were. Thus, at Roman dinner parties, fish is usually served as an appetizer, with meats such as pork taking centre stage. Still, you only have to look at the mosaic above to know that the Romans, too, were rather fond of the fishies. Hopefully you will be too!Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-40973767175916567892013-04-12T23:45:00.003+01:002013-04-12T23:46:04.162+01:00Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum - The Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQ2n8ni-yCuyQw-sAFqMEAzMfpYi2bRBMhvVKz3un9GIDrsDfbrvq0cszGCLuzdKxOSAOtAXKH6tAL8OktD6MwBVAyWsrOL2ZNXg7PECeqsB-ZmV7HBaOkHKfnvrLFpbByx_qzwRm_rVA/s1600/51x-JgeFwVL._SL500_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQ2n8ni-yCuyQw-sAFqMEAzMfpYi2bRBMhvVKz3un9GIDrsDfbrvq0cszGCLuzdKxOSAOtAXKH6tAL8OktD6MwBVAyWsrOL2ZNXg7PECeqsB-ZmV7HBaOkHKfnvrLFpbByx_qzwRm_rVA/s400/51x-JgeFwVL._SL500_.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<b>Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum</b></h3>
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Paul Roberts<br />
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<b>Cost:</b><br />
British Museum: £25 (With free copy of '<a href="http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/new+future-releases/art-in-pompeii-and-herculaneum/invt/cmc22830">Art in Pompeii and Herculaneum</a>')<br />
<a href="http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/cmcf22762/?referer=bm">British Museum Website</a>: £25<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-death-Pompeii-Herculaneum-Roberts/dp/0714122823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365767407&sr=8-1&keywords=life+and+death+in+pompeii+and+herculaneum">Amazon (UK)</a>: £16</div>
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In this final post on the British Museum's <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/pompeii_and_herculaneum.aspx">'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum'</a> exhibition, we turn to look at the accompanying book of the same name. This hefty volume, written by the exhibition curator, Paul Roberts, is a work of art well worth the asking price. Over the course of 320 glossy pages, Roberts reconstructs the daily lives of the people who once inhabited Pompeii and Herculaneum. The objects of the exhibition feature heavily in the form of 400 photographs and figures, used to great effect to illustrate points and support arguments. For the academic and the intrigued, footnotes are used extensively, allowing you to follow up on Roberts' assertions and get into the nitty gritty of Roman history. For this reason, the book is a must-have for both casual readers and academics alike.<br />
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After beginning with a brief introduction of the Vesuvian sites, we are taken inside the city walls and dropped off outside a Roman house. Throughout the course of the book, Roberts acts as our guide, starting first with the shops, then the atrium, the bedroom, the garden, the dining room, the kitchens, toilets, and baths. The book's real emphasis is on <i>life</i> inside the Roman household - sure, we're told about how the rooms were decorated, but we're also told how people might dress or do their hair, or who did the cooking and how they did it. Everybody gets a look in, from the slaves and urban poor to the merchants and magistrates who ruled the towns. We finish, as might be expected, with a chapter on the eruption, meeting some of those unfortunate souls who fell victim to the volcano's blast.<br />
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Benefiting from beautiful pictures, a wealth of scholarship, and the most up-to-date research, 'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum' provides one of the best introductions to both the Vesuvian sites and day-to-day Roman life I've yet encountered. If you can visit the exhibition, this book builds beautifully upon what you've already seen. For those who can't, it's a worthy alternative to trekking to London, showing you the best that the exhibition has to offer without the hustle and bustle of the crowds. With so much on offer, it's all too easy to lose a few hours turning page after page after page.Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-33750399667658867962013-04-10T21:50:00.000+01:002013-04-10T21:53:56.886+01:00Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum - Highlights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With hundreds of items on display, Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum is a treasure trove for anybody with even the slightest bit of interest in Roman history. This makes picking 'highlights' rather difficult. To make things easier, and because this is a Roman food website, my first five items are related to Roman wining and dining. To show that there's more to life than just food, however, I've included three bonus objects at the bottom. To all those lucky enough to attend, have fun hunting them out. To all those unable to go, here's a taste of what is on show:</div>
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<u>1)<i> Placentarius</i> - Cake Tray</u></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFmA229-kDxqah1asKmpxaR6Z5o94QlWF5UFTJpgtoHMeX9Q7cOkdqW3sHPN5Z2IIxEe7jTW0LXB5mVqhsQ2dkVDuhl9lfgQr-sBzkGWn21Ir4576EHpX-WP-dTLQYsyvtfecgdJDd6J6/s1600/Untitled-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFmA229-kDxqah1asKmpxaR6Z5o94QlWF5UFTJpgtoHMeX9Q7cOkdqW3sHPN5Z2IIxEe7jTW0LXB5mVqhsQ2dkVDuhl9lfgQr-sBzkGWn21Ir4576EHpX-WP-dTLQYsyvtfecgdJDd6J6/s200/Untitled-8.jpg" width="107" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© Trustees of the <br />
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I can only imagine the laughs that this cheeky little chap got as he was carried out after dinner, laden with all the honey stuffed dates and sweet treats you could ever want. With one foot forward and a wry smile on his face, you get the impression that he was trying to run away with dessert. Clearly caught out, he looks up at the diner, hand raised in defence as if to say, "Me? Steal dessert? Never!" Others imagine that he is singing the praises of whatever treats he happened to be carrying. Either way, grab what you can before he's gone!<br />
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<b><u>2) Carbonised Food</u></b></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZPjTM_oHXfrskydsyi7h1wuX3308PqoS8LS6QkoeuMajeA-croMKqtFK8vkJ23cG71HywKYChOfPLfRV1IlEaXgAfsSkAtK6XVf0RmQ5Kv_mFohu2ISE6eB7xZnzHoKsdyTWUuMQi2V3/s1600/Pompei+Carbonised+loaf+of+bread-1766546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZPjTM_oHXfrskydsyi7h1wuX3308PqoS8LS6QkoeuMajeA-croMKqtFK8vkJ23cG71HywKYChOfPLfRV1IlEaXgAfsSkAtK6XVf0RmQ5Kv_mFohu2ISE6eB7xZnzHoKsdyTWUuMQi2V3/s200/Pompei+Carbonised+loaf+of+bread-1766546.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© SANP</td></tr>
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As good as any Roman recipe is, this is the only actual Roman food you're ever going to see. On display are the carbonised and mineralised remains of the figs, dates, nuts, and grains used to prepare meals in the two cities' final days. Holding pride of place amongst the over-cooked foods is the carbonised loaf of bread found in Herculaneum. It is stamped 'Property of Celer, slave of Quintus Granius Verus'. Does this stamp tell us that Celer worked in Granius' bakery and baked the bread, or does it tell us that the finished loaf was to be collected by the slave? It's hard to say. For a Roman food lover, these items are invaluable - for example, they confirmed that the grain resembled semolina or bulgur wheat, which is what we used when preparing ancient <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/punic-wars-and-porridge-part-2-of-6.html">porridge</a>.</div>
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<u>3) Drinking Horn</u></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyfyMUIqRJqj4MZw27GHNxtydNfk1Jk2pIRckWOe_-syxdwVsv-HTBbj4yvGBEXQ_yQ8N0OfhUQQC_1LKERqT-nsrotbPiF6YGoHFv84ITZASocPHDKZH0eq9Vj_yLEzXXsTIGGBc0JF-/s1600/01178189_004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyfyMUIqRJqj4MZw27GHNxtydNfk1Jk2pIRckWOe_-syxdwVsv-HTBbj4yvGBEXQ_yQ8N0OfhUQQC_1LKERqT-nsrotbPiF6YGoHFv84ITZASocPHDKZH0eq9Vj_yLEzXXsTIGGBc0JF-/s200/01178189_004.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©SANP</td></tr>
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Drinking was serious business in the ancient world; the vast array of drinking objects on display in this exhibition alone is testament to that! There were amphorae for storing, jugs for pouring, jars for mixing, and cups, bowls, and horns for drinking. At the wildest parties, according to Horace (<i>Satires</i>, II.6), one man was made the r<i>ex bibendi</i>, or 'King of the Drinks', and could dictate how much, how often, and how quickly you drank. Ten letters in your name? That's ten cups for you! Want to show off? Why, drink from a horn of course! At the exhibition you can find a fresco of a man doing just that, as well as the pictured drinking horn itself.<br />
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<u>4) Skeleton Butler</u></h3>
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The meaning of the Skeleton Butler is perhaps best illustrated by a story in Horace's <i>Satires</i>; in this story a mouse from the city tries to convince his country bumpkin rodent friend to abandon his hard life in the countryside, and to enjoy a life of wining and dining in the city. The city mouse, a rather eloquent chap, says:<br />
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<b>"All earthly creatures have been given mortal souls;</b></div>
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<b>large or small they have no means of escaping death.</b></div>
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<b>So, my dear friend,while there's still time, enjoy the good things</b></div>
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<b>of life, and never forget your days are numbered."</b> - Horace, <i>Satires</i>, II.6</div>
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We're all going to die, so why not enjoy life first? With a skeleton pouring your next cup of wine, how could you possibly forget?<br />
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<u>5) <i>Glirarium</i> - The Dormouse Jar</u></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-eQAC4oBdTfUqgcJfXo29kuvyieaFt-kxuLX3xkZ_34X3LJk910P3gHC-pR_lTjsj3mXdTWSXWFyRXIKTF45PkVPzaYEERs0wloYh8Er2CFXmfUsAF_ejM6Jnx1omhXJ8gUtrKJTMiEV/s1600/Untitled-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-eQAC4oBdTfUqgcJfXo29kuvyieaFt-kxuLX3xkZ_34X3LJk910P3gHC-pR_lTjsj3mXdTWSXWFyRXIKTF45PkVPzaYEERs0wloYh8Er2CFXmfUsAF_ejM6Jnx1omhXJ8gUtrKJTMiEV/s200/Untitled-4.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©SANP</td></tr>
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You have this <u>great</u> house at the bottom of a jar. Even better, once a day a hand appears from the heavens and drops some acorns in at the top! You roll out of your cosy straw nest, stretch a bit, and then scamper up to the top of the jar to get some treats. Scampering is getting quite tough, as you're putting on a lot of weight, but that doesn't matter too much - you're living the dormouse dream. That kind, gift-giving hand starts to reach into the jar again. More treats already? Not this time - before you can say 'squeak' you've been scooped up, thrown into a pan, covered in honey, peppered with poppy seeds, and gobbled up by some wealthy senator. Your house, it turns out, was a <i>glirarium</i>, used solely to fatten up dormice for eating.<br />
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<u>6) Furniture</u></h3>
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When I first visited the Vesuvian sites, they moved me. Until that point I was used to roving through ruins which were ankle-high and left an awful lot to the imagination, but here were the actual houses which people lived in, the brothels they loved in, the bakeries they ate in, and the baths they washed in. These buildings had doors and stairs and decorations which people opened, climbed, and admired. What I found most moving, however, was the furniture - something once touched by Roman hands - and Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum has it in abundance. There's a sturdy chest where the master of the house stored his documents and valuables; the chair his wife sat on when brushing her hair; the cradle in which his son lay, slept, and sadly died. My favourite piece of furniture is the table shown - we see a similar one pictured in <a href="http://www.bmimages.com/pix/MISC/011/01183684_004.JPG">this</a> fresco, laden with jugs of wine. Charred and damaged this furniture might be, but there's a lot of life left in it yet.<br />
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<u>7) Fresco of Terentius Neo and his wife</u></h3>
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With history it is usually a case of us looking in at the past, but with this fresco we find two Romans staring back out at us. Posing for us are Terentius Neo, a Pompeiian baker with a patchy beard, and his good lady wife. Terentius has donned a toga, suggesting that he has embarked on a career in Pompeiian politics. His wife wields a wax tablet, used by Romans for writing and recording the day's dealings - perhaps she took over the running of the bakery? Whatever message the painter is trying to convey, I think that this fresco is a must-see, as it affords us a rare look at two real-life Roman citizens.</div>
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<u>8) Pompeiian Plaster Casts</u></h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© Trustees of the British Museum</td></tr>
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Nothing is so synonymous with Pompeii as the plaster casts of the dead. When Vesuvius erupted, a column of ash rose into the air, growing higher and higher and higher still. Eventually this column collapsed, and clouds of hot gas and burning ash raged through the Campanian countryside as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvjwt9nnwXY">pyroclastic flows</a>. The one that hit Herculaneum was hot enough to burn bodies to the bone. The one that hit Pompeii, however, was not. Those that died lay as they fell, buried by ash and stone and volcanic debris. This soon set, and although the bodies buried within decayed, their every little detail was imprinted in the ash. The casts we see today were created when some bright spark decided to pour plaster, and later resin, into the hollows. The British Museum is displaying several casts, ranging from a little doggy to a whole family. By the time you get to the casts at the exhibition's end, you've seen the lives these people led, and if you're like me, you've grown quite fond of them. To then stare into what would have been a father's eyes, or watch as his child claws at walls which are no longer there, is quite a harrowing and humbling experience.<br />
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Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-26604806885275022052013-04-07T23:49:00.003+01:002013-04-10T21:53:56.884+01:00Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum (British Museum Exhibition)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I travelled to London to visit the much anticipated 'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum' exhibition at the British Museum. Many of you messaged me, looking to know how it was, and whether or not it is worth trekking to London to see. I figured that, over the course of three posts, I'd write a little bit about my visit and what I learnt from it. This first post is a review of the exhibition as a whole - its content, its arrangement, and how it is to actually walk around. It is followed by a post featuring some of my exhibition 'highlights' - needless to say this will have a culinary bent to it. The final post will be review of the companion book, also called 'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum' - a worthy souvenir for all who visit the museum, and great alternative for those who can't.<br />
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The Essentials</h3>
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<ul>
<li><b>Dates:</b> 28th April - 29th September 2013</li>
<li><b>Price:</b> £15 (Adults & Oldies), £12.50 (Students, Unemployed, Disabled, & Groups), Free (Members and U16s)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/pompeii_and_herculaneum/tickets.aspx">Online Ticket Booking</a> - This is essential</li>
<li>No Photography :(</li>
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The Exhibition</h3>
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I have been to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the National Archaeological Museum in Naples twice, and can still safely say that this is the greatest collection of Roman artefacts I have ever seen - the museum in Naples must be awfully empty whilst this exhibition is on!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Soperintendenza Speciale per i beni Archelogici di Napoli e Pompei</td></tr>
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'Life and Death' is a showcase of the domestic, something reflected in the very layout of the exhibition itself; everything is arranged according to the plans of a well-to-do Roman house. You start off flanked by the shops commonly found at the front of Pompeiian houses, process into the atrium where the family showcased their wealth and pedigree, and are then free to wander into the more private bedroom, garden, and dining areas. The exhibition ends with you fleeing this house, as the Pompeiians did in 79 A.D. Pretty soon you start to find the money they dropped and the lamps they struggled to light, before catching up with them, or rather their plaster casts, at the exhibition's exit.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Soperintendenza Speciale per i beni<br />
Archelogici di Napoli e Pompei</td></tr>
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The hundreds of items on show have been perfectly chosen, breathing life into the various rooms you wander through - here is the beautifully crafted stool a Roman <i>matrona</i> sat on, and there is the elegant silver mirror she used when brushing her hair. So many of these items are familiar to us today - toothpicks, razor blades, dice, perfume, spoons - which is why you can't help but feel a sense of attachment to the people who used them, and which is why the sight of their tortured forms at the exhibition's end is so heartbreaking.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum</td></tr>
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The Experience</h3>
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The exhibition is undoubtedly a masterpiece - it brings the Roman world to life in a way which can be hard to do. Unfortunately, my experience was far from perfect. Despite the use of ticket-booking and time-slots, the exhibition was over-filled; even half the number of people would have been far too many. My girlfriend and I were jostled from one artefact to the next, pushed around by tour-groups full of people who didn't want to be there, often unable to see items or read about them. At times this exhibition felt more like a bad queue than an exploration of the Roman house.</div>
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However, whilst my experience was far from ideal, I still stand by all that I said above - this really is the best collection of Roman artefacts I have ever seen. And, when the disgruntled and uninterested tourist with the big hair and two backpacks finally moves to the side, that glimpse of a silver spoon from Herculaneum really does make it all worth it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Some Spoons</b><br />
Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum</td></tr>
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My advice for all who want to visit 'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum' is to go, but to do so in the middle of the week at the start of the day when things are that little bit more quiet. For those who can't make it, the <a href="http://bit.ly/10JSNkP">exhibition book</a>, also titled "Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum", is a stunning alternative.</div>
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<h3>
Some Other Reviews</h3>
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<li><a href="http://www.theweek.co.uk/art/52229/critics-awed-life-and-death-pompeii-and-herculaneum">The Week</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/reviews/charles-darwent-on-art-life-and-death-in-pompeii-and-herculaneum--the-day-that-death-hung-on-the-breeze-8555126.html">The Independent</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/mar/26/life-and-death-pompeii-review">The Guardian</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-features/9952882/Pompeii-exhibition-Life-and-Death-in-Pompeii-and-Herculaneum-British-Museum-review.html">The Telegraph</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.world-archaeology.com/museum/life-and-death-in-pompeii-and-herculaneum-ordinary-people-in-extraordinary-times/">World Archaeology</a></li>
</ul>
Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285274386924865021.post-71204101930307126432013-04-01T00:00:00.000+01:002013-04-01T09:51:13.683+01:00Nodi OllaeHave you ever found yourself walking past a restaurant or bakery or food stall, only to be waylaid by the most amazing of smells or delicious of sights? We should count ourselves very lucky that so many Roman recipes have survived for us to recreate - there are quite literally hundreds! But sometimes, those recipes which didn't survive, or those which we only hear about in passing, can waylay us like the sights and smells described above.<br />
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One food in particular has remained an enigma for centuries - <i>nodi ollae</i> - and it is this recipe which I hope to recreate today. For a recipe which we know next to nothing about, <i>nodi ollae</i> is mentioned quite frequently in literature. Here are the most illuminating passages:</div>
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<q><b>Rations for farm-workers: four modii of wheat in winter, with which to make the <i>nodi ollae</i>. The overseer, housekeeper, foreman and shepherd should receive three.</b></q> - Cato, <i>De Agri Cultura</i>, 56</div>
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Here we learn that wheat is an important ingredient, and that <i>nodi ollae</i> was deemed an appropriate meal to keep farm-hands going throughout the winter! This wasn't just a winter food - when we look at the medical writings of Celsus, we learn that it was seen as the next best thing to a full meal:</div>
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<b><q>If you have eaten a full meal at midday, avoid extremes of hot and cold and tiredness - these are more damaging to a full stomach than an empty. If you find you cannot eat, <i>nodi ollae</i> will preserve you until such times as you can.</q> </b>- Celsus, <i>De Medicina</i>, 1.2.8</div>
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I could go on, repeating passage after passage as evidence; Augustus prides himself on making it available to senators who attended the races; Frontinus loves that Rome's aqueducts made it easier to prepare; Pliny the Elder even goes so far as to rate different types of cumin and <i>laser</i> based upon how they taste in <i>nodi ollae</i>. So what actually was it? After several weeks of detective work I have worked out what I believe to be the definitive recipe for that ever-so-Roman of recipes - <i>nodi ollae</i>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nodi Ollae</span></div>
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(serves 1)</div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMmFFY1Z1anhQQQpex-gHnAFA-B2QlD4etcOEH0T68FPZW8xCJYnkGg24roSQMJBh8kwlopDoGphZPLmf6I_2j7LxJ7EN-MibgcxQHAqyf3eliLqXKT8S8V3QOKirLJdExI9KYEnbTPT-/s1600/_DSC0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMmFFY1Z1anhQQQpex-gHnAFA-B2QlD4etcOEH0T68FPZW8xCJYnkGg24roSQMJBh8kwlopDoGphZPLmf6I_2j7LxJ7EN-MibgcxQHAqyf3eliLqXKT8S8V3QOKirLJdExI9KYEnbTPT-/s320/_DSC0342.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<li>90g Spelt Flour</li>
<li>30 ml Water</li>
<li>2 tbsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/garum.html">Fish Sauce</a></li>
<li>2 tbsp <a href="http://pass-the-garum.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/asafoetida-silphium.html">Asafoetida</a></li>
<li>3 tbsp Cumin Seeds</li>
<li>1 tbsp Black Pepper</li>
<li>1 Clove Garlic</li>
<li>1/2 Small Onion</li>
<li>1 tsp Dried Peas or Chickpeas</li>
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Methods</h3>
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<li>Toast the cumin seeds and grind them up with the pepper and asafoetida.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jIQlWPRWJR1b_Esk_Ao6wCLMrmBPUqxfZjFW5afhWx0aZiXNfFY23Dnxoe5-A7pOHMgK2ghL1p6zXFedx6TIJTGCHPPOB4mv978VItZmYwajzPYdqqXM2EzeCSnLuebdU_rOGgKiyRZc/s1600/_DSC0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jIQlWPRWJR1b_Esk_Ao6wCLMrmBPUqxfZjFW5afhWx0aZiXNfFY23Dnxoe5-A7pOHMgK2ghL1p6zXFedx6TIJTGCHPPOB4mv978VItZmYwajzPYdqqXM2EzeCSnLuebdU_rOGgKiyRZc/s320/_DSC0343.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<li>With the spices prepared, chop the onion up into the smallest pieces you can manage. Crush and chop the garlic clove, and mix this with the onions.</li>
<li><i>Nodi Ollae</i> translates as 'knots of the pot' - we have to make the 'knots' now. To do this, sieve the spelt flour into a bowl. Add the water, just a few drops at a time, and make a dough which is not too dry or not too sticky.</li>
<li>Flour a work-surface (plain flour will do) and roll the dough out so that it is about a millimetre thick. You want to chop this dough into lots of little strips before it dries. As the dough dries, the strips curl up and turn into the 'knots' you see below. This process can take several hours, so sit back with a copy of Plautus' latest comedy and relax.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDmzU3ne7oR6Kq9gT2T5l49nPyzh620rwLayYDfkghqFOAQyozRXa-y5g0LfoF8Ex1RDL9cHNZM2Kr1PPiUD31Di8ckgMizyKf24mez_VI9gZm5kpuf_9rN2tfgFh-oR-c2jvHb_68xDq/s1600/_DSC0344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDmzU3ne7oR6Kq9gT2T5l49nPyzh620rwLayYDfkghqFOAQyozRXa-y5g0LfoF8Ex1RDL9cHNZM2Kr1PPiUD31Di8ckgMizyKf24mez_VI9gZm5kpuf_9rN2tfgFh-oR-c2jvHb_68xDq/s320/_DSC0344.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<li>When they are ready, mix these 'knots' with the spices, onion, garlic, and the peas/chickpeas. Add them to a casserole dish, pour over boiling water, and put into a preheated oven (180 Celsius) for just a few minutes. When it is done, it should look something like this:</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHogdtytgX3T0gHrIpDfu2Q1f8bb4ROJWsisa8NlmUETuXzmXBCMHlIkRO2dfUwi6al8WLc_JXJedxe2YAjyoJ1HTuzwL3Q0TSKkMtZZSSw9FADrqFfx3R1XvfuZ_YixL-VgRR5u-_2g_a/s1600/_DSC0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHogdtytgX3T0gHrIpDfu2Q1f8bb4ROJWsisa8NlmUETuXzmXBCMHlIkRO2dfUwi6al8WLc_JXJedxe2YAjyoJ1HTuzwL3Q0TSKkMtZZSSw9FADrqFfx3R1XvfuZ_YixL-VgRR5u-_2g_a/s320/_DSC0338.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<li>Once the boiling water has done its trick, add a few splashes of fish sauce and tuck in - April Fools!</li>
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Notes</h3>
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<li><i>Nodi Ollae</i>, I am sorry to say, did not actually exist. I made it up. Cato, Celsus, Caesar - the lot. Who knows what Rome might have achieved (or not) if they had Pot Noodles?</li>
<li>I don't actually know what culinary masterpiece (or disaster) this recipe will lead to!</li>
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Results</h3>
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How did this recipe turn out? You can tell me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PassTheGarum">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/PasstheGarum">Twitter</a>!</div>
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Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650697336655938430noreply@blogger.com10