Roman Food Project
ROMAN FOOD PROJECT
Next Friday, February 15th, we we celebrate the Roman feast of Lupercalia. As part of these celebration, we will feast like rich Romans!
Resources:
General information:
Possible Ingredients:
(NB: Romans never ate pasta and
tomatoes)
Authentic Roman recipes!:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/historical/ant-rom-coll.html
You probably aren’t gonna think these are tasty!
Part I
General Information: Research
- What types of food did Roman peasants typically eat? How does their food compare to that of a more wealthy Roman?
- What was the staple (most important food) in the Roman diet?
- What did Romans usually drink?
- What were the three Roman meals?
5. Rich Romans would eat a cena with several courses. Find the Latin names for these courses and explain what they are.
Part II
Make your menu and your dish!
Rule 1: No wine!
Rule 2: No garum/liquamen!
Rule 3: Your dishes must be authentic (use the links I provided)!
Rich Romans really liked to impress their friends by hosting lavish parties. Pretend that you are hosting a group of friends for a weekend.
Task 1:Menu
Design a well-put-together menu using Publisher or Word that features three ientacula, three prandia, and three cenae complete with all courses. You should describe each dish briefly in your menu. *Print out and hand in.
Example of an entry of a dish for prandium:
“FABACIAE VIRIDES ET BAIANAE
This dish features green beans cooked with olive oil and spiced with cumin and coriander.”
Task 2: Your dish for Lupercalia!
1) Using the form and information on the next page, write the ingredients and the amounts in your recipe. It can be a dish from your menu. This is the dish you will bring to our Lupercalia celebration next Friday!
2) Define ingredients that are Roman (see webpage)
3) Write the instructions for the preparation of your dish.
*Print out and hand in.
Task 2: Your Roman Dish
Rough conversion table
5ml = 1 tsp
15ml = 1 tblsp
28.3g = 1 ounce ( ==> 100g = 3.5 ounces )
454g = 1 pound ( ==> 1kg = 2.2 pound )
250ml = 1 cup
1 l = 4 cups
180 deg C = 350 deg F
220 deg C = 425 deg F
Name of Dish:Ingredient / Amount (Converted)
Instructions:
Name of Dish: Gustum de praecoquis
Ingredient / Amount (Converted)
Apricots or nectarines / 1 kg=2.2 pounds
White wine: LEAVE OUT
Passum
*reduced or cooked down grape juice / 250 mL=1 cup
1 Peppermint tea bag
Pepper / Pinch
Salt (NO LIQUAMEN) / Pinch
Corn starch / Pinch
Vinegar / Splash
Honey / Drizzle
Olive oil / Drizzle
Instructions:
Wash apricots and take out the pits. Place them in a pan with a little cold water. Add pepper, contents of tea bag, salt, vinegar, and honey with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook 20 minutes on low to medium heat. After the fruit has boiled and soften, add a bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Sprinkle with a small amount of pepper and serve.
I have used the recipe below (from website) to fill out the above chart).
GUSTUM DE PRAECOQUIS (Starter with Apricots)
(Apic. 4, 5, 4)
Ingredients:
------
1kg firm ripe apricots or nectarines
200ml white wine
250ml Passum
^D:-y?1 peppermint tea bag (portion for one cup)
pepper, Liquamen or salt, cornstarch, a little vinegar and honeykE)T@wfC>r7wZ{L,i&6sSyv:
------
Wash, cut and stone apricots. Put them with a little cold water in a pan.
Ground pepper and dried mint (that's where the tea bag comes handy...),
add Liquamen, honey, Passum, wine and vinegar. Pour into the pan with a
little oil. Cook approximately 20 minutes on small to moderate heat.
After it boiled add a bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce, sprinkle
with pepper and serve.