Can now reproduce the dishes of ancient Rome?
Very often in my research I stand in front of the translations of texts reached us who treat the kitchen of those ancient times, these translations are often made by people who have no idea what archaeo kitchen and experimentation and therefore not have no idea what could be the result of the recipes that translate and treat them as dead things that today would be impossible to present in a dinner.
Fortunately, things are changing and there are people who have decided to translate over to try to revive those dishes.
I'm not saying that all of the recipes can be replaced, especially because some contain ingredients that today can not be found, or because they contain protected animals or mismatched to our tastes, but many other overcoming some obstacles can be played and the results can be truly amazing .
A major hurdle is finding the ingredients necessary for the preparation, especially for the recipes contained in the De Re Cuoquinaria attributed to Marcus Gavius Apicius, we find a significant amount of fresh herbs and spices that often are difficult to find.
A striking example is the Silphium or Laser, in the recipes of Apicius is mentioned in many dishes, but we know that this plant became extinct at the beginning of the first century AD and then how you can replace it? The Romans themselves suggest the resin of an 'other plants very similar, that of' Assa Fetida. This plant still exists even though it is not easy to find on the market, grows wild in Iran and other countries of the Middle East and with a little 'commitment and research is not impossible to find. Some people to avoid making hard and not waste time recommended to use instead of this resin of 'garlic, it is true that the smell reminds' garlic but I assure you that the result is very different, because the garlic tends to cover other aromas and flavors, the 'assa fetid instead has a very delicate flavor that blends with the other and does not bother.
Another ingredient is difficult to find the infamous garum, you could use the anchovy which is very similar but the quantities to be used are quite high and its cost may be prohibitive, some people recommend using anchovies melted in 'oil, I have seen people pass off as garum anchovy puree with olive oil and pepper but I assure you that the garum has a completely different flavor, the Roman garum advised to get in quick ways to cook the fish in sea water so focused that an egg you float, until it is reduced enough volume, then filter. Even with this method, however, is not a product is obtained which makes really l 'idea. Now I can not advise you to do the garum with maceration method in the salt and the subsequent condensation in the sun, not because the resulting product is not good either because it is impossible to do, I do it regularly and use it for me, but for the administration, we must remember that there are very strict laws, which take much analysis unless it is meant produce in industrial quantities are too expensive and complex. So what can you do? The answer is very simple, the fact that in Italy there are no suitable products does not mean that the rest of the world does not exist and above all we must remember that the garum was not an 'invention of the Romans, but it came from Middle Eastern countries. Even today are produced sauces that are equal to the ancient garum, one of these is the thai fish sauce that has the production process very similar to the Roman and is extremely easy to find.
Then it is important to be aware of the ingredients present at 'era, it seems a trivial thing but unfortunately c' is those who think of doing experimentation kitchen of the Roman era, forgetting that many vegetables like potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, etc., came after the discovery America 's and that others have become as we know them today in the following centuries Rome, see artichokes, carrots, etc.
A question that is often asked by those who are interested in the reproduction of numerous recipes of Apicius, it is because there are not the quantity and how we should adjust with spices garum and the rest of the ingredients. The answer is that then as now a cook when cooking, if he knows the recipe is not based on how many grams serve but acting on its flavor or taste of its guests. Probably if we now use the amount of spices then the food would not disgusting but rather indigestible, do not forget that then have the spice was a status and had to demonstrate their power usandone in large quantities.
Our aim therefore should not be cause digestive problems to those who eat the food that we offer, but we have to study and experiment and eventually using existing products then recreate those dishes ancient approaching as much as possible to how they were to make to savor the past our audience.
|
