When in Pompeii, eat as the Pompeiians do.

[Dover]

Archaeologists re-create the Pompeii diet
Recipes use ingredients from ancient Roman times

Vineyards and fruit trees have been replanted at the Pompeii archaeological site in the original locations used 2,000 years ago, as part of research into the eating habits of the ancient Romans. The harvest makes up some of the ingredients sold in kits to visitors.

The Associated Press

Updated: 2:36 p.m. ET May 25, 2005ROME - Sauces made from fermented fish entrails. A quiche-like pastry shell filled with bay leaves and ricotta cheese. For dessert, peaches with aromatic cumin and honey.

Those tastes may not be for everyone’s palate, but the specialties of ancient Pompeii are being revived for a month at the site of the ruins by a research project intended to give new insights into how the Romans lived.

Pompeii’s busiest restaurant was buried with the rest of the prosperous city when Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79. The eruption killed thousands of people, but a 20-foot-deep (6-meter-deep) cocoon of volcanic ash kept the city almost intact, providing precious information on domestic life in the ancient world...cont'd

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7980340/

[wildeyed]

1. I don't know about the fermented fish entrails,

but the rest of it sounds yummy. cool article. Thanks!

[Stinky The Clown]

2. 'Fermented Fish Entrails"

Not unlike modern Asian fish sauces. Or anchovy sauce.

[wildeyed]

3. Oh, I like that, too.

:)

[NMDemDist2]

4. interesting how the same cooking techniques show up over and over

in different cultures esp the "use every part of the critter" type stuff

speaking of "stuff" mmmmmmm sausages... BBQ.... 3 day WEEKEND!!

:bounce: :woohoo:


can you tell I need some time off? :crazy:

[fortyfeetunder]

5. That might not have been so bad

After all that was in the days before massive pollution invaded the seas....

I'd try it (with a bottle of retzina to wash it down....)

[Stinky The Clown]

6. The Romans had a pretty sophisticated 'food' culture

This is a 'fast food' restaurant in Pompeii. A forerunner of the kiosk we see today. We saw several of these. They were marble counters with clay 'bucket' inserts. They had running water to keep the cold food at least cool. Hot food was kept hot either by direct fire or indirect steam heat, which they also had.


Pompeii was a resort town. Before that one bad day they had in '79, they were quite the tourist destination, right on the Mediterranean. Today they're 2 Km inland!

[Dover]

7. So you have to go back centuries to equate fast food with "sophisticated"

dining? LOL!!!! McDonald's would be proud of such roots though I doubt modern diners would consider a trip to the golden arches to be an exercise in sophistication!

Thanks for the info....very interesting.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. By 'sophisticated' I meant in contrast to what we might

think food was back then .......

[Dover]

9. Of course I knew that.............just a little humor.

:+ :P

[Stinky The Clown]

10. I'm sorry. I read that right after re-reading this thread over in GD

This huge post by many DU vets. Very touching. I guess my head was in 'serious' mode.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3734985

I'm usually much faster with humor. Again ... sorry. :hi:

[Dover]

Wow! Great thread..............thanks.

I'm gonna tickle you now.........lol!

[Dover]

11. .

[franmarz]

12. We eat as the Pompeii,s ate-but with new utensils.

When they put food in a pot, and heated it slowly all day long, it was the same as we now use a crock pot.
When liquid is placed in a jar or pot, and a water soaked cloth is wrapped around it, that is a cooling feature, causing evaporation.
The methods have changed, but the great recipes have not. The mediterranean diet is very healthy.