Sally Grainger Libri

An exploration of the food of the Mediterranean world in ancient times, from 750 BC to AD 450. The authors draw on sources beyond the familiar recipes attributed to the Roman gourmet Apicius, who mainly describes the food of the privileged classes at the end of the Roman Empire. All types of food are represented, allowing the modern cook to recreate the varied diet of the classical world, from the banquets of the rich to the simple meals of soldiers, farmers and slaves. The 50 recipes include Terrine of Asparagus, Sweet Wine Cakes, Olive Relish and Toronaean Shark. An introductory section to each chapter provides a historical outline and explains the sources. Translations of the original recipes are followed by a version for the modern cook. The book is illustrated throughout with scenes of food, carousers and hunters from wall paintings, mosaics and Greek vases.

The narrative explores the transformation of garum, a pungent fish sauce, tracing its evolution from a humble Greek condiment to a prized delicacy in Roman gastronomy. It delves into the cultural and economic significance of garum within the Roman Empire, highlighting its role in culinary practices and trade. As the empire wanes, the story reflects on garum's decline and eventual fade into obscurity, offering insights into historical culinary trends and the complexities of food commerce in ancient times.

Sally Grainger has gathered, in one convenient volume, her modern interpretations of 64 of the recipes in the original text. This is not ‘recipes inspired by the old Romans’ but rather a serious effort to convert the extremely gnomic instructions in the Latin into something that can be reproduced in the modern kitchen which actually gives some idea of what the Romans might have eaten. Sally Grainger, therefore, has taken great pains to suggest means of replicating the particular Roman taste for fermented fish sauce. It may sound unpleasant, but actually is not too far removed from the fish sauces of the Far East and any reproduction of Roman cookery must depend on getting this particular aspect right.