Arvioustus Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 How different these Roman recipes are sofrom modern Italian cuisine ( at least in the US), or maybe not, perhaps we would all be slim if we lived on these Roman recipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Why does everything have to include wine and alcohol. Because it adds to the richness and depth of flavor, carries the tastes of other ingredients and its high acidity helps tenderize meat & poultry... Flavious, If you wish to abstain for health reasons; because you a worried about your liver or because of a family genetic tendency towards substance abuse that is quite admirable and commendable for a youth confronted with today's deteriorating moral fiber. However, if it is due to fear of some kind of divine persecution in the afterlife, then I must say you are missing out on one of the heavenly father's (or mothers!) most loving gifts to mankind... No, it's just that I've made a promise to never drink/smoke and I've never had drank/smoke anything so far. For what reason, I don't know but I just made the decision quite randomly. Being a teenager, I too well the effects and seen others do stupid things. Also peer pressure really doesn't affect me, my beliefs are too strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Germanicus Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Correct me if I'm wrong - but cooking with alchohol burns off the actuall alchohol yes ? Like if you are making a red wine jus, you should be left with a non-alchoholic sauce with just the flavour of the wine ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Correct me if I'm wrong - but cooking with alchohol burns off the actuall alchohol yes ? Like if you are making a red wine jus, you should be left with a non-alchoholic sauce with just the flavour of the wine ??? It depends on how long it's cooked. On average I would say it may still retain ~40% of the original alcohol content. Stuff like flambe will of course maintain up to 75% of it's original alcohol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted January 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Correct me if I'm wrong - but cooking with alchohol burns off the actuall alchohol yes ? Like if you are making a red wine jus, you should be left with a non-alchoholic sauce with just the flavour of the wine ??? It depends on how long it's cooked. On average I would say it may still retain ~40% of the original alcohol content. Stuff like flambe will of course maintain up to 75% of it's original alcohol... May I suggest a very simple addition to pork chops? After sealing the chops by a fast fry in sesame oil ( only a few seconds per side ) cook in the oven as appropriate to weight , remove when almost ready and quickly grill in Newcastle Brown Ale -make sure the Ale caramelises to a degree. Serve with greens and a few potatoes ( I did try candied yam , collared greens and some black beans ,that seemed to go well). Russian Stout makes a good rich drink to accompany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 ( I did try candied yam , collared greens and some black beans ,that seemed to go well). Excellent food pairing Pertinax! Though I know the Greeks & Romans grew and ate collards and they've been in Britain since the 1st Millennium BC, I'm quite tickled to see a British man suggest such a Southern American staple as collards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skarr Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 (edited) Some tempting suggestions here that are evocative of the Roman decadence that writers, artists and even Hollywood likes to slander. On the subject of the ancient Romans and their enjoyment of life's pleasures, here's my take on it. The Romans knew how to enjoy their brief moments away from the bustle of the city, while they relaxed in luxurious villas out in the country, with an army of slaves in attendance. Ah ! It must have been good to be noble, rich and privileged. The casual luxury that a few select families of Rome enjoyed, however, came at a great price. For most, food consisted of a piece of bread and some vegetable or grain slop you called soup. The Roman soldier lived on a diet of corn and occasionally, very occasionally, meat. In the city, it was different as Rome was vibrant and complex. Sausage shops, bakeries and all kinds of short eat take out kind of places were the norm in the crowded streets, as cooking was banned in most insulae. People would take off at work around 3 pm, go home via the public baths after soaking for an hour or two (one copper coin - one 'as' - was enough for a bath), maybe visit the library (within the bathhouse, if it was big as most of them had libraries, exercise areas and even a row of fast food joints serving sausage rolls, various kinds of vegetables grilled and fish, if you could afford it, as fish was very expensive. These shops were the famed thermopolium. Romans had a lot of choices in terms of entertainment. There were not only the public baths but the Circus didn't charge much for admission and chariot races were always exciting. There were also public theater performances, mime shows and various mock and real fights put on by different gladiatorial schools. Also, plenty of bars and 'clubs' or rather, colleges. Groups of people would join and form a 'college', which could be to learn something or focus on one specific activity, for which the members of the 'collegia' need a meeting place - with free drinks for the members. Some of the colleges had rich sponsors who would foot their bills (borrowed from someone else - Rome had a fairly fluid credit system, quite advanced for their times). Free bread, free games, a few coppers to buy beer or wine, what more could the average citizen in Rome want ? Each consul in Rome sought to please the public or the 'mob' and later, each Emperor tried to win the public's hearts. If I had a time machine, I would go back to around the beginning of the reign of Augustus and get the hell back to the present before the old man pops off. Hindsight is always good. Edited January 20, 2006 by Skarr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted January 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 (edited) Does not Galen tell us to consume the "green of the beet" as a choice and excellent vegetable? Indeed he also suggests the beet itself well cooked in garum as a side dish-what a mix, rich in tryglycerides for a clean bloodstream and liver ( eat that and thats even less Lead in your body), lots of micro nutrients in the garum. Some red wine and you are clean in spirit and body. Skarr-id drop in on Pompeii-before the big bang! and Baiae to sample the decadent night life. Edited January 20, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted May 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 (edited) In direct contrast to my previous epicurean excursions , I have been eating a "Roman " styled spelt bread with all my meals in the last week. Its unsurprisingly called "Hadrian's Bread" and needs cutting with a power tool. I have chipped a tooth on it when toasted.However I can say that if you were eating this type of spelt/sourdough as a staple you do not need to supplement with any high sugar snacks! In fact you dont need any snacks at all, I had porridge and two slices for breakfast and that got me to lunchtime without thinking about my stomach, Edited May 2, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted May 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 (edited) http://www.ambiani.celtique.org/site_en.htm heres a well illustrated link to a troop of Gauls who are cooking up a nice stew. Edited May 26, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 Does not Galen tell us to consume the "green of the beet" as a choice and excellent vegetable? Indeed he also suggests the beet itself well cooked in garum as a side dish-what a mix, rich in tryglycerides for a clean bloodstream and liver ( eat that and thats even less Lead in your body), lots of micro nutrients in the garum. Some red wine and you are clean in spirit and body. My neighbours incorporate beet leaves (chard) into a rather heavy (but very good) omelette. Since a really juicy-looking leaf beet has started growing wild in our garden I will soon try the recipe myself (or persuade Mrs Dalby to) and will report on its effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted May 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 (edited) If you drink a good french red where a beet crop has been used as "manure", that would be as beneficial and virtuous.I strongly advise you to try this procedure as well as the omelette. Edited May 30, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted May 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 (edited) After all the gluttony in this thread I bring you a digestive : http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...&cmd=si&img=762 to restore your jaded gut and palate. In the East Anise was formerly used with other spices in part payment of taxes. 'Ye pay tithe of Mint, Anise and Cummin,' we read in the 23rd chapter of St. Matthew, but some authorities state that Anise is an incorrect rendering and should have been translated 'Dill.' In Virgil's time, Anise was used as a spice. Mustacae, a spiced cake of the Romans introduced at the end of a rich meal, to prevent indigestion, consisted of meal, with Anise, Cummin and other aromatics. Such a cake was sometimes brought in at the end of a marriage feast, and is, perhaps, the origin of our spiced wedding cake. I also understand that the Romans chewed Anise in the morning to freshen the breath-and then rinsed with wine! They also rubbed it into their faces in an early attempt at non-surgical facelifting.I might also add that epilepsy ,that most nervewrackingly divine of conditions was (hopefully) allayed by smearing infants with anise paste. AD may know some more on this-I understand the paste mixed with (bay leaves?) other herbs was used as a vomit inducing emetic? Edited May 30, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 (edited) We have baked spelt bread at home often. It is different - more nutty. Slavered with butter. We find it heavy but not detrimental to the the teeth. Since we are not about to make garum, what is a good commercial preparation? It seems that the wine always has to be French! Edited June 11, 2006 by Gaius Octavius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted June 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 (edited) We have baked spelt bread at home often. It is different - more nutty. Slavered with butter. We find it heavy but not detrimental to the the teeth.Since we are not about to make garum, what is a good commercial preparation? It seems that the wine always has to be French! I would say Nam Plah the thai fish sauce is very good, we use it instead of salt in stews and casseroles. Andrew Dalby would be able to answer as a "purist" for approximating Roman authenticity, but as you know there are quite a few possible recipe variants. If I recall an earlier exchange on a similar topic I suggested that the top quality original was made from fermented tuna guts and residual flesh( particularly the head and gills) from that same cleaned fish.Pantagathus will have something to say for sure! Here are some references in my old "Moray Eel" thread. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showto...03&hl=moray+eel Edited June 11, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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