Kochbuch und Kulturgeschichte in einem ist dieser reichillustrierte Band. Er führt - in einem Zeitraum zwischen 750 v. Chr. und 450 n. Chr. - durch den griechischen und römischen Mittelmeerraum. Wir erfahren von den üppigen Tafelfreuden der Wohlhabenden und von den bescheidenen Eßgewohnheiten ärmerer Schichten. Neben Texten von Dichtern und Philosophen bietet das Buch Rezepte, die mit dem heutigen Warenangebot nachgekocht werden können.
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.