Presentation Often, especially in upper class cooking, it was popular to make one ingredient look like another or put one item inside of another, which was inside of a third. small commisions help to pay the costs associated with running this site so that it stays free. If needs be you can just use white grape juice — this will provide sweetness and 'bulk', albeit not as pronounced as with caroenum. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2066079196933121"; Servants kept the guests supplied with small hot rolls (a useful means of cleaning the plate of a tasty sauce and a method still practiced by the French today) and made sure that their glasses were replenished with wine. They were very fond of aged cheese with the ones from Bythynia being very famous. For an authentic-ish display just about any type of white cheese would work, especially those made with goat’s milk or sheep’s milk. Some natives were re-settled into new Roman towns, such as Caerwent in Wales, and amongst them was a new class of urban poor. When Pliny the Elder writes in the first century, he says that at the time, goats milk cheeses were the most popular. Recipe by Jenny Scherer. After twenty or thirty days, when fermentation has ceased, rack into other vessels, seal the lids with gypsum and cover them with skins. The wealthy loved to eat them raw, but fried and hard boiled were favorites. Propping themselves on their left forearms, they would use their right hands for stretching for food and drink. I have chosen these books as among the best to illustrate this subject. Seneca also relates that a very large red mullet was presented to Tiberius Caesar and he ordered it to be taken to the market and sold. If you are going to cook meat, especially at a reenactment event, ham and bacon (not sliced, grocery store bacon) is your best bet. Romans rarely drank milk and, if they did consume it, that milk was almost always goat's milk, not the cow's milk that we drink today. No doubt some pockets would have been bulging by the end of the meal! These are NOT ordinary restaurants and definitely NOT ordinary food you'll find at home. This ‘burger’ would have been a much more upmarket luxury offering than those we’re used to today, however, served as part of a feast. For the ordinary Roman, food was basic. Even though fish and seafood were plentiful they were always very expensive, especially if it were fresh. Good information on food and food production in Roman Britain. Malaga Dulce is what Sally Grainer recommends for replicating passum using Malaga Virgen and Malaga Moscatel [sorry, you can't buy wine from Amazon.com here in the US. Less common but very popular, and expensive, were cherries and apricots (1st century BC) and peaches (1st century AD). At the same time he said, “My friends, I am much deceived unless this fish be bought by Apicius or P. Octavius.” Turns out that Apicius did indeed bid against P. Octavius, the Praefect of Egypt, and that Octavius won the bid for 5000 sesterii (very roughly estimated value of 1 Sesterces in 2015 is $1.55 which would place the amount at $7,750USD). 1 tsp Cinnamon. These large banquets would entail a great deal of preparation and one can imagine the scene of frenzied activity in the kitchen beforehand, as cooks and slaves busied themselves under the supervision of the lady of the house. No dish was complete without its highly flavoured and seasoned sauce. That means I Some of those who lived in town apartments would have been without proper cooking facilities. Here, above are some common spices and ingredients. The Romans even started fish farming (pisciculture) that included the raising of eels and oysters. Columella (1st century) and Palladius (4th century), both agronomists, are fundamental sources not only for the agriculture and farming, but also for the many recipes of preserves, sauces, alcoholic beverages, cheese, honey, oil they wrote in their treatises. To make it, pour as much grape juice as you need into a pan and boil until it has reduced by 1/3 to ½. The Romans prized the red mullet the most which could fetch thousands of sesterces as mentioned above. When it came to wine, there were many varieties of red and white wines. Desserts or mensae secundae, though not considered an important course, would consist of sweetmeats, pastries, dried or fresh fruit and nuts. Caroenum is also used to make 'oenogarum', a 'vinaigrette' made by mixing fish sauce, oil, wine, and spices. Make this elegant dessert in less than an hour with time-saving … Napkins were provided to protect the couches. Beekeeping was, therefore, an important industry, most farms employing one man known as the apiarus to look after the hives. That means I Following are the veggies known to the Romans and easy to find nowadays. This is one of the differences between ancient cooking and modern: they valued fine white bread, while today, it's the breads with the natural grains that are sought after and popular. A Taste of History: 10,000 Years of Food in Britain, Peter Brears et al.---period foods, cooking techniques, dining customs and selected recipes for modern kitchens [Roman Britain] Roman Britain; Food in Roman Britain, Joan P. Alcock [9th-12th centuries: Anglo-Saxon] general history & selected recipes The Celtic peasantry, who formed the mass of the population, would have seen the least change to their diet. Even though fish and seafood was preferred fresh (cooked grilled, boiled, fried and even stuffed) they were dried, salted, smoked, and pickled as well. No one really knows exactly WHAT this is, however the best educated guess is that it is similar to Defrutum but thinner. For those who could afford it, ientaculum or breakfast, was eaten very early and would consist of salted bread, milk or wine, and perhaps dried fruit, eggs or cheese. google_ad_width = 120; The Ancient Romans LOVED mushrooms and the most common and popular was the Amanita mushrooms, Boletus mushrooms, truffles, and various wild Agaricus mushrooms. It survives because it was summarised by Columella, De Agricultura 12.39.1: Mago gives the following instructions for excellent passum. Poultry was a bit easier for the common Roman to obtain and eat. In addition to being full of carbohydrates, these foods provided fat (the olive oil) and protein (the barley and millet). Food would be served on bronze, pewter or the popular decorated red terra sigillata (also called: Samian-ware) dishes and wine would be drunk from small cups of glass, terra sigillata or pewter. Chicken, goose, duck and quails eggs were the most common and all of these are easily found today. Brussels sprouts, artichokes, sweet peas, rutabaga and cauliflower were eaten by the Ancient Romans — however, the modern cultivated forms we know and eat today were not developed until the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance times. Cheese, like bread, was a staple of the Roman diet, especially amongst the poor, and was standard fair for the Legions. However, there are several out there who claim the Ancient Romans did indeed have Cheddar cheese; however, there is no proof to this. Baking & Spices. The Romans ate cheese a great deal. The Roman invaders contributed to the long-term improvement of the British diet by introducing proper vegetables to the island. We know that it is a grape syrup, made by reducing grape juice/must. Most people would have had to exist on meagre and monotonous meals, with flat bread made from course grain flour, bean pottage or porridge — all cooked on an open hearth fire, in cramped conditions, as their normal daily food. The posca was prepared by adding water to a little quantity of wine and then mixing it with various spices for enhancing the taste. Here is a bit of legal housekeeping. Following are the most common premade ingredients the Romans used. He also pronounces a cheese from what is now France to be the best: "The kinds of cheese that are most esteemed at Rome, where the various good things of all nations are to be judged of by comparison, are those which come from the provinces of Nemausus, (modern day Nîmes) and more especially the villages there of Lesura and Gabalis; but its excellence is only very short-lived, and it must be eaten while it is fresh. The Romans did, however, dry some fruits for use in cooking and to be eaten in the off season. Roman drinks such as posca were as popular as any other food items in a Roman’s diet. Most believe Roman cheeses to be more along the lines of Ricotta and Feta. ^^One of the oldest of the French cheeses, Cantal cheese was reportedly enjoyed over 2000 years ago in ancient Rome. Dinner usually consisted of three courses, accompanied by wine imported from Italy, France or Spain, viticulture being unknown in Britain until the second half of Roman occupation. Ben-Fur: Romans brought rabbits to Britain, experts discover This article is more than 1 year old Bone found in Roman palace belongs to rabbit that could have been kept as an exotic pet 1 cup Sugar. It was not always eaten. The originals of the recipes I’ve adapted are later in the documentation. Romanian cuisine is the culmination of all the influences around the region. Guests would also bring their own napkins, and according to contemporary satirists, sometimes stole their neighbours' napkins. Poorer Fare. His recipes would show up in Michelin 3 star restaurants such as Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester in London and The French Laundry in CA. Hydrogarum: All that is known about this is that it is a cooking sauce that resembles French ‘court bouillon’. Cheese was imported into Rome from all over the Empire and Pliny states that the cheese from Gaul was by far the best. Refrigerated. Once it has cooled, bottle it up for future use. Something to remember:  The Romans did not always use the same names or varieties of things as we do... To them, "corn" was wheat, not the maize we refer to today. The Lavish Roman Banquet: ... (A.D. 98 to A.D. 117), stretched all the way from Britain to Baghdad, the banquet was much more than a lavish social meal. A caupona was predominantly a drinking establishmen, but food was available. Caroenum: Another grape must syrup, common but not as common as Defrutum. This is a list of ancient dishes, prepared foods and beverages that have been recorded as originating during ancient history.The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with Sumerian cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC.. They did not have sugar so they used honey to sweeten their food. Top it off with rustic bread, white cheese and watered wine. Veal was a favorite. By adding water to the vinegar, they made the drink consumable. Salt was an important commodity, obtained from the many salt pans round the shores of Britain. receive a small commission (pittance) if you buy something from amazon using those links. Lower class Romans would breakfast on bread with maybe some cheese or olives added. It's finished when the juice has reduced by two-thirds. Pots and pans simmered and bubbled over burning charcoal on the stove, ingredients for sauces were pounded and mixed in mortaria. The bread was dipped in wine to soften it. Defrutum: This is a grape must syrup that is used really often. Roman legionary food from the fourth century. // They would not have dined on fine Roman cuisine but even they did benefit from the introduction of some of the new vegetables and herbs. Often, if a fisherman was lucky enough to catch one, it was sold for an extravagant price and ended up on the Emperor’s table. It does though, give a good idea of what the common ingredients were and what flavor combinations the Romans liked. Vegetable-growing, though, was perfectly acceptable.”. Cato mentions, while debating sumptuary laws, that a single fish could cost as much as a cow! The kinds produced in the Apennines are more numerous; from Liguria we have the cheese of Ceba, which is mostly made from the milk of sheep; from Umbria we have that of Æsina, and from the frontiers of Etruria and Liguria those of Luna, remarkable for their vast size, a single cheese weighing as much as a thousand pounds. While often eaten fresh, meat could also be conserved by salting, drying, smoking, curing, pickling, and preservation in honey. Sheep and goat milk cheese were the most common with goat’s milk cheese being the most popular. Interestingly the Roman Legions are credited with showing the cheese makers outside of Italy how to make hard cheeses. However, they would not eat woodpeckers or owls. google_ad_height = 90; That salt exists in pasture-lands is pretty evident, from the fact that all cheese as it grows old contracts a saltish flavour, even where it does not appear to any great extent; [Ed: Pliny is speaking of Bithynian pasture-lands and cheese] while at the same time it is equally well known that cheese soaked in a mixture of thyme and vinegar will regain its original fresh flavour. Romans rarely drank the native Briton's beer because it was considered a barbarian's drink by the sophisticated Roman, although after a time of occupying Britannia, the Roman soldiers began to also partake of the native beer. However, the Ancient Romans would eat just about ANY bird they could catch such as, blackbirds, finches, titmice, quails, larks, partridges, pheasants, thrush, figpeckers, warblers and even swans and peacocks. Food and Recipes for the Common People and the Military. The cow has four nipples and its cheese was considered to be inferior but popular. Food was a very important aspect of the Roman Empire.The rich and poor Romans ate very different diets and the supply of food was very important to the emperor to express his relationship to the Roman people.See below for more information and facts about Roman food. Contrary to present day preference, the main object seemed to be to disguise the natural taste of food — possibly though, to conceal doubtful freshness, but also to demonstrate the variety of costly spices that the host was able to afford. Harvest well-ripened very early bunches of grapes; reject any mildewed or damaged grapes. Since Italy is filled with rivers, streams, ponds and lakes as well as surrounded by seas on three sides one would think fish and seafood one would expect it to be a favorite of the Ancient Romans. One Roman cook bitterly complained that some of his fellow cooks: "When they season their dinners they don't use condiments for seasoning, but screech owls, which eat out the intestines of the guests alive.". The cheap Asian ones are a lot better than the expensive Italian ones. The Ancient Roman also enjoyed hare, rabbit, wild boar, deer and roe deer. The shells of oysters, whelks, cockles, mussels and limpets are found extensively on the sites of Roman villas, towns and forts at least as far north as Hadrian's Wall, not only near the coast but also at great distances from the sea, presumably transported alive in water tanks. Celery, Garlic, Yellow Squash (not 100% sure it’s the same as ours — edible gourds would be better), Lettuce, Endive, Shallots, Onion, Leeks, Fennel, Asparagus, Radishes, Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots (in Roman times they WERE NOT orange), Beets, Green Peas, Chard, Chicory, Green Beans, Cardoons (Artichoke Thistle), Olives, and "Cucumber." Calda was drank during the winter — this is wine mixed with warm water and laced with spices. It’s interesting that the Romans were not milk (goat or cow) drinkers much at all, yet milk was the number one ingredient feed to snails and dormice to help fatten them up for consumption. Most Roman recipes for cheese that have come down to us, call for sheep's or goat's milk. There was always a wet towel to wash with after any meal, including breakfast. Roman soldiers had cheese as part of their rations. -->. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2066079196933121"; Aside of eating these parts as standalone cuts the Ancient Romans loved pork in the form of sausages. Roman food, and the recipes that make it, isn't bad, it's just different and that, is what we hope to impart in this section. It takes its name from its aroma—which smells like a combination of spices— especially cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Mark Grant, in his book Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens talks about his experiments in making Roman cheese based on the known ways of making it from Ancient Roman sources. Differently from Apicius, who writes recipes for rich banquets, Columella and Palladius’ methods are simpler and meant also for farmers and common people. Lay reeds across them and spread the grapes on these in the sun, covering them at night to keep dew off. There is a very small section containing recipes. However, the Romans brought with them an enthusiasm for eating sea animals of all kinds, and once the military invasion was over and traders and civilians began to arrive, a demand quickly built up for all kinds of fish and shellfish. This is hardley more than a pamphlet. For example, when preparing vegetables a mixture of honey, vinegar, salt and water was used (called oxymel). The name is derived from mustum ardens, meaning “burning must,” which is not very enlightening, except that it tells us that the first mustards were originally very spicy. Roast and boiled meat, poultry, game or other meat delicacies would be served. This is something you make at home rather than buy in the shops; as long as you can find a carton of white grape juice, you're set. receive a small commission (pittance) if you buy something from amazon using those links. Several dishes would be placed on the table for each person to help himself. Roast Wild Boar. Other dining rooms had ceilings of fretted ivory, the panels of which could slide back and let hundreds of flowers or perfume from hidden sprinklers, shower upon the guests. Fish and seafood were more common in the country side and along the coast due to the proximity to the waters. Roman pastries, cakes and biscuits have much in common with both western and eastern modern pastry traditions. For cooking I would still stick with those — just stay away from Asian and canned. The meal began with gustatio or hors d'oevre, often an egg dish, vegetables raw and cooked, including asparagus, peas, beans, carrots, lettuce, endive, radishes, and cucumber. ", Emperor Vitellius dedicated to the goddess Minerva, a mixture of pike liver, pheasants' brains, peacocks' brains, flamingo tongues and lamprey roe, after rejecting the flesh of several rare and expensive delicacies, "collected in every corner of the Empire from the Parthian frontier to the Straits of Gibraltar.". The staple diet consisted mostly of a wheat-based porridge, seasoned with herbs or meat if available. When they have dried, pick the grapes, put them in a fermenting vat or jar and add the best possible must (grape juice) so that they are just covered. The daily diet between rich and poor varied considerably — the poor would have had a monotonous lack of variety in their daily food with little beyond course bread and bean or pea broth, with only the occasional addition of meat.. For the rich, life in a villa in Roman Britain, would have been secure and pleasant for the wealthy owner and his family. https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-romanian-recipes-1137279 During the meal mulsum — a mixture of chilled white wine and honey — or course wine mixed with water, would be drunk, the more expensive wines, such as Bordeaux, being reserved for serious drinking after the meal. Formal banquets would be given to celebrate special occasions in all parts of the Roman Empire. 721. 1 Egg. Feb 13, 2014 - For my 'Roman Food at the British Museum - Cooking the Aspicius Recipes' blogpost on my HK blog. If possible, set up your food storage so that Roman foods and non-Roman foods are stored on different shelves to make… This is used to poach foods such as eggs and other various meats. NOTE: Liver was a favorite — any kind of liver: chicken, goose, pork and beef. The influence of Roman food in Britain began even before the Roman occupation: in fact, trade between the two countries was already flourishing, and the Celtic British elites had a taste for some ‘exotic’ products coming from the Empire, such as wine and olive oil. These sauces were usually thickened with wheat flour or crumbled pastry. Poultry and wild game were important sources of meat, but pork, veal, mutton, and goat were also available. This page contains affiliate links. A Roman dinner usually consisted of three courses, accompanied by wine imported from Italy, France or Spain, viticulture being unknown in Britain until the second half of the Roman occupation. /* RIB Menu Lower Link ad */ The second element comes also from Latin ardens, (hot, flaming). Steer clear of beef. Mix all this and put the mixed mass through the press. Flour used in making bread varied, anywhere between coarse wholemeal to fine white. Next, tread the pressed grapes, adding very fresh must made from other grapes that have been sun-dried for three days. ANYWAY, Mustard was one of the most common sauces in ancient Rome. Curriculum links: … through the use of large sporting events and other mind-numbing distractions — as much as things change, they remain the same. It could be plain or flavored. ROMAN APPLE CAKE FROM KALONA: Meemaw on the Meemaw Eats blog has a super looking apple cake recipe, with the recipe coming from the Kalona Historical Village Cookbook. In reality no one knows what Ancient Roman cheese tasted like or looked like. Poor Romans ate bread, vegetable soup, and porridge. In his golden palace Emperor Nero had constructed a spectacular dining room in which there was a revolving ceiling which turned day and night, in time with the sky. We need to open an asociates account with Amazon.uk so that we can sell such things ] Anyway, these wines can be hard to get in the plain ol’ liquor store and also might tend to be expensive. When it was eaten it was typically during a religious event. Favourite foods of the Roman gourmet included snails fattened on milk until they could no longer retreat into their shells; dormice fattened on nuts in special earthenware jars — "battery dormice"; pigeons immobilized by having their wings clipped or legs broken, then fattened; oysters in plenty and other shellfish; ham and suckling pig; peacocks, pheasant and goose; and chicken cooked in a variety of ways, one of which required the bird to be drowned in red wine. Posca was a drink consumed by farmers as well as the soldiers of Roman army. With forks being not in common usage and knives and spoons only occasionally used, most people ate with their fingers — a messy arrangement when sticky sauces were part of the meal. I know this page is kind of long and a hodgepodge, but we will get it more streamlined. . Excavations in Cirencester, of skeletons from the Roman period, have revealed evidence of dental damage beginning early in life and largely the result of a course and insufficient diet. I have a collection of about a dozen fish sauces, most being from Southeast Asia, with a cost of anywhere from $5 for 500ml to one that was $45 for 100ml. “A Roman patrician’s pride and joy were his vegetables. I can tell you that the Red Boat 40N sauce blows them all away and will only cost between $6 and $10 for 500ml depending on where you buy it. more, please read our, Roman Cooking: The Kitchen and Implements, Index to Roman recipes of the upper classes. Honey was often incorporated into a "sweet-sour" dish or sauce. Cheeses were abundant and varied and, much enjoyed — smoked cheese was a particular favourite, many foreign varieties being imported by the Romans. However, the sea bass (lupus) that were known to live in the Tiber AND fed off the Cloaca Maxima was a particularly prized delicacy that could fetch an extremely high price. Date Syrup: Just about any health food store or Middle Eastern food shop will have it. Poor people ate more millet, and rich people ate more wheat. Town dwellers would have handy access to the local bakers, pastry cooks and cooked meat shops, as the stone reliefs and excavations of Pompeii illustrate. When the grapes have absorbed it all and have swelled in six days, put them in a basket, press them and collect the passum. The pastures of the Alps recommend themselves by two sorts of cheese; the Dalmatic Alps send us the Docleatian cheese, and the Centronian Alps the Vatusican. This, plus free admission to the gladiatorial contests, gave rise to the term "bread and circuses," used as a way to keep a populace quiet and and happy, i.e. The Roman cookbook Apicius gives several recipes for chickpeas. The Romans brought food over from other countries in their empire (imported food). google_ad_width = 120; Entertainment such as music on the lyre or cithera, or perhaps poetry reading would be provided during and after the meal. a complete explanation of why I’m telling you this and how you can support this site without paying These are all from Apicius so if you are looking for specifically British-Roman recipes you will not … However, fish and seafood were never as popular as it was in Greece. Important banquets would often end with clowns or jugglers performing or even gladiator fights. The lower classes ate bread with little bit of salt while wealthy Romans also ate it with eggs, cheese, honey, milk and fruit. Grains were a mainstay of the lower classes but Ancient Romans as a whole ate wheat, alica, emmer, spelt, and barley, millet, farro, rye, oats, and panic. not in revolt... Hmmm, still practiced by governments, etc. The main course, or primae mensai varied both in the number and elaboration of dishes. [Yes, I'm sure we'll get photos of other ancient varieties of veggies here soon. Produce. Romans liked mixing sweet and savoury foods so honey was used widely in a range of recipes. Sheep and Goat were eaten but it was just slightly eaten more than beef for the same reasons. The $45 dollar one came from a small village not far from Pompeii, yet it sucks!!! The Ancient Romans were very, very fond of their veggies. There was a substantial trade within the Roman Empire in cheeses — this would have been hard cheeses though, as there was no refrigerated transport for fresh cheeses, which would have been produced and consumed locally. Caroenum is sweet, but not sickeningly so. [Buy Mark Grant's book Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens for that]. The snails were first fattened up with any combination of bran, flour, herbs honey and milk with a mixture of honey and milk being the most popular. Cheese was basically the only dairy that Ancient Romans ate. Roman Links. For After, perhaps a pleasant stroll around the garden the guests would assemble ready to to enter the dining room (foot first over the threshold to avert ill luck). Sometimes the guests would pluck rose petals from their garlands and drop them into their wine goblets. If you can find a Muscat wine it would work. 14 ingredients. This resource also looks at Roman building techniques and tombstones. // Oysters, cockles and mussels would be brought from the coast in barrels of brine to be sold inland. He is one of the fathers of French 'haute cuisine' and published the cookbook "Le Guide Culinaire" which is still considered one of the bibles used in the best culinary schools around the world. Of the cheeses that are made beyond sea, that of Bithynia is usually considered the first in quality. 1 5/8 cups Flour. 1/2 tsp Salt. Traditional Romanian Food: Brief History. After a suitable offering by the host to the household gods (together called Lares), the meal would commence. Poor people's small homes had no kitchens. Beef was eaten by the Ancient Romans but it was rare and very expensive. 2 cups Apples. That cookbook is a tattered treasure trove of recipes and stories of a village that has kept its Amish identity for generations. There are many fish sauces out there, but few that come close to the real deal. Check out the recipe here. Pork was the most favorite meat eaten by the Ancient Romans with ham, bacon and chops being the most favorite parts. google_ad_height = 90; Even though fruit was often used as an ingredient in cooking, most fruit was eaten fresh and, of course, in season!! The native Briton would have seen little change in his diet after the Roman occupation. Fish were so expensive that some of the rich had fish ponds (piscinae) in their homes. The fruits, veggies and nuts they knew as "common and everyday" are basically the same as ours. Fix in the ground forked branches or stakes not over four feet apart, linking them with poles. Following are the various “meats” eaten by the Ancient Romans. The Romans enjoyed eating and talking in the formal atmosphere of the triclimium. Add our Button link: Check out some great books and help the site! a complete explanation of why I’m telling you this and how you can support this site without paying Originally fine white bread was only eaten by the rich, yet by the Empire it was common for all. Earning money from trade was considered vulgar, fishing was for decadent Greeks, and the herding of cattle was left to barbarians. Food and Cooking in Roman Britain: History and Recipes (Planet Shopping Deutschland : Bücher - ASIN: 1850740801 - EAN: 9781850740803). The earliest surviving instruction constitutes the only known Carthaginian recipe. The most common poultry that Romans and the Romans in Britain would be eating, would be chickens, capons, geese, ducks, pigeons (especially wood pigeons) and doves. A Roman cook book has survived (written by Apicius), and although most of the meals in it were for rich Romans in big houses, many of the simpler meals would be eaten by soldiers. Cheeses such as Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan and Gouda, are relatively new, appearing only within the last 500 years. On their menus you will find dishes such as Tarte aux Pignons and Oeufs Aurore. Oils & Vinegars. 1/4 tsp Baking powder. Mustard: The first element is ultimately from Latin mustum, ("must", young wine) — the condiment was originally prepared by making the ground seeds into a paste with must. It is a fragment from the Punic farming manual by Mago (agricultural writer) in its Latin translation by Decimus Junius Silanus (2nd century BC). Here is a cool article on Cheese in the Roman Army. Meat consumption as seen via Asia and the Mediterranean follows Roman meat eating closer than the typical diet in the US. Many, many recipes that you might find on Roman reenacting sites — including Roman military ones, typically have recipes from Apicius' "De Re Coquinaria". small commisions help to pay the costs associated with running this site so that it stays free. It is a touch thicker than standard white grape juice. The typical Roman ate simple fair — bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cheese, porridge and stews. Most Roman cheeses were fresh cheeses, though the Romans fully understood the use of rennet to make hard-cheeses, and did so. This was the famous "Trimalchio's Feast," where guests were offered, "A hare tricked out with wings to look like a Pegasus, a wild sow with its belly full of live thrushes, quinces stuck with thorns to look like sea urchins, and roast pork carved into models of fish, song birds and a goose. So they often took their foodstuffs round to the baker, to cook in his oven. It was originally made of emmer, a cereal grain related to wheat, and it is only during the Empire that wheat was used to make bread. The Food.