Around the Roman Table: Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome - Hardcover

Faas, Patrick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312239580 ISBN 13: 9780312239589

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002

Synopsis

In Around the Table of the Romans , Patrick Faas brings the Roman passion for eating to life. More than just a book of ancient recipes reconstructed for the modern cook (though there are more than 150 in the book), Around the Table of the Romans is a portrait of ancient Roman society as seen from the vantage point of the dining table. Faas explores ancient Roman manners, dining arrangements, spices, seasonings and cooking techniques. He shows how ancient Roman cuisine differs from its present incarnation. Most of all, he brings the ancient Roman world to life in a book that foodies and history buffs will salivate over.

About this title

About the Author:

Patrick Faas is a food historian and chef. He writes a column about food for the national Dutch newspaper, Der Volkskrant. He has appeared widely on European television and was sued by the SPCA for preparing an ancient Roman dish, baked stuffed mice.

From Publishers Weekly:

Faas, a Dutch food historian and chef, opens with the caveats that this is "no historical treatise" and that the more than 150 recipes will be difficult to prepare in a modern kitchen. Excuses aside, this is a capable study of the fascinating ancient Roman culture and the foods that graced its tables. A culinary history leads up to and through the Empire, when imported foods were all the rage and forks were unheard of. (Slaves were ordered to grow long hair so that their masters could wipe their hands on it.) Granted that these recipes are unlikely to be usable, as Faas points out, it's still unfortunate that such recipes as Broad Beans with Meatballs leave out certain details (such as, the type of pan used and the cooking time). Although Faas is most enthusiastic about foods that won't cause the modern palate to salivate-e.g., Stuffed Mouse and Dolphin Balls as well as "the meat of nursing puppies"-of greatest interest here are the comparisons between ancient Roman foods and modern Italian cooking. A dish of Fried Courgettes marinated in vinegar would not be out-of-place on today's antipasto table, and the Lupin beans that were once fed to livestock are now brined and eaten as a snack.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0312239580
• ISBN 13: 9780312239589
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304