ROMA

IL CIBO PER GLI ANTICHI ROMANI ITALIANO
I nobili dell’antica Roma amavano il cibo costoso che, servito in ville sfarzose, era un modo per mettersi in mostra con altri ricchi. Se si dava un banchetto presso la propria villa, esso doveva andare bene per forza al fine di mantenere il consenso sociale – motivo per cui cibi elaborati come il pavone o lo struzzo arrosto erano spesso presenti. Lo stile di vita diverso, implicava anche usi alimentari diversi rispetto all’epoca attuale. La colazione (chiamata jentaculum) veniva consumata nella camera da letto del padrone e di solito consisteva in una fetta di pane o frittella di grano con datteri e miele. Si beveva anche il vino. Il Pranzo (prandium) veniva servito intorno alle 11 ed era leggero, a base di pane, formaggio e a volte carne. Tutta l’attenzione quindi si riversava sul pasto principale, la cena, consumata nel tardo pomeriggio o in prima serata. Se il padrone non aveva ospiti, la cena durava circa un’ora. Ma se vi erano ospiti, allora poteva durare anche quattro ore. Una cena leggera a base di pane e frutta veniva inoltre consumata prima di andare a letto. I Romani non erano dei grandi consumatori di carne e i loro pasti prevedevano prevalentemente verdure, spezie e ricette a base di grano come il porridge. Tuttavia, per i loro banchetti, i nobili si procuravano anche cibi esotici. Molti pasti venivano accompagnati da salse. I romani parevano essere amanti delle salse in quanto esse davano al cuoco l’opportunità di far apparire i piatti più interessanti di quanto non fossero. Una salsa in particolare era il garum, ottenuta immergendo dei resti di pesce in acqua salata e lasciandoli poi macerare per alcune settimane fino al loro utilizzo. Anche le salse ottenute da aceto, miele, pepe, spezie erano molto utilizzate. I romani amavano molto le bevande e i cibi dolci. Una delle loro bevande preferite era il mulsum, una miscela di vino bollito e miele. Un segnale che lasciava intendere se la cena era andata bene, era la richiesta da parte degli ospiti di un sacchetto per poter portare a casa i resti del cibo. Ciò procurava soddisfazione al padrone di casa ed era una dimostrazione per gli altri invitati del fatto che il pasto era stato gradito. La maggior parte dei cibi veniva bollita o fritta in olio d’oliva. Poche case infatti avevano il forno visto che non si utilizzava quasi mai. Ecco due ricette romane: Ghiro al forno: “Riempire il ghiro con carne di maiale tritata o con carne di altro ghiro a pezzetti e mescolata a spezie, pepe o pinoli. Cucire il ghiro e cuocerlo in un piccolo forno”.
Dolce: “Prendere la crosta di una fetta di pane bianco e romperla in pezzi grossi. Immergerli nel latte e friggerli in olio o grasso bollente. Versatevi sopra del miele e serviteli.


THE FOOD FOR ANCIENT ROMANS ENGLISH
The rich Ancient Romans enjoyed their food. Expensive food, along with a lavish villa, was an obvious way of showing off your wealth to others. If you hosted a banquet at your villa to which other Roman worthies had been invited, it had to go well if your social standing was to be maintained – hence why elaborate and expensive foods were well provided. Roast peacock and ostriches and the like, would be provided. A different lifestyle also meant that the eating habits of the Ancient Romans were different to ours today. Breakfast (the Romans called this jentaculum) was taken in the master’s bedroom and usually consisted of a slice of bread or a wheat pancake eaten with dates and honey. Wine was also drunk. Lunch (the Romans called this prandium) was eaten at about 11.00 a.m. and consisted of a light meal of bread, cheese and possibly some meat. In many senses, everything was geared up towards the main meal of the day – cena. This was eaten in the late afternoon or early evening. If the master of the house had no guests, cena might take about one hour. If he did have guests, then this meal might take as long as four hours. A light supper was usually eaten just before the Romans went to bed, consisting of bread and fruit. The Romans were usually not big meat eaters and a lot of their normal meals involved vegetables, herbs and spices together with a wheat meal that looked like porridge. However, for a rich man’s banquet anything exotic that could be purchased was served. Many meals were served with sauces. The Romans seemed to be particularly fond of sauces as it gave a cook the opportunity to make a dish seem a little bit more exciting that it may have been without the sauce. One particular favourite was garum which was made by mixing up fish waste with salt water and leaving it for several weeks until it was ready for use. Sauces made from vinegar, honey, pepper, herbs and spices were also popular. The Romans seemed to be very keen on sweet food and drink. One of the favoured drinks was called mulsum which was a mixture of boiled wine and honey. One sign that a meal or a banquet had gone down well was if guests asked for bags to take homes dishes that they had enjoyed. This in particular pleased a master as it showed to everyone who was there that at least some of the courses on offer had been well received. Most food was either boiled or fried in olive oil. Very few homes needed an oven as so little food was roasted. Two Roman meals were: Baked dormice: “Stuff the dormice with minced pork or the meat of other dormice chopped up with herbs, pepper and pine nuts. Sew up the dormice and cook in a small oven. ”A sweet: “Take the crusts from a white loaf and break the bread into largish pieces. Soak them in milk. Fry them in hot oil or fat. Pour honey over them and serve.” The writer Petronius wrote about his eating experiences in around AD 60: “After a generous rubdown with oil, we put on dinner clothes. We were taken into the next room where we found three couches drawn up and a table, very luxuriously laid out, awaiting us. We were invited to take our seats. Immediately, Egyptian slaves came in and poured ice water over our hands. The starters were served. On a large tray stood a donkey made of bronze. On its back were two baskets, one holding green olives, and the other black. On either side were dormice, dipped in honey and rolled in poppy seed. nearby, on a silver grill, piping hot, lay small sausages. As for wine, we were fairly swimming in it.”