|
Roman Food - Dinner, the
Coena, the First Course
The main course was the
dinner which usually consisted of three courses. The first
course were snacks would usually include an egg dish, small
rolls sprinkled with poppy-seed and honey, and hot sausages,
lettuce and olives. At feasts the first course included
dishes such as shell-fish, thrushes, asparagus, a fatted
hen, goat and wild boar. Rich meats were also used in
creating pasties.
Roman Food - the Second
Course
The second course of a
Roman dinner might include birds such as the Guinea hen, the
woodcock, flamingo, the pheasant and the thrush. The liver
of a capon steeped in milk dressed with pepper was regarded
as a delicacy. The peacock was also a very expensive
favorite of the Patrician class. Fish dishes were endless
and included fish such as the turbot, the sturgeon, the
mullet, eels and prawns in a sauce. Meats included pork,
bacon, boar and venison. Pickles, sauces, truffles,
mushrooms and other vegetables were also served.
Roman Food - the Dessert
The bellaria or dessert
consisted of nuts and fruits (which the Romans usually ate
uncooked), almonds, dried grapes, dates, sweetmeats and
confections. Cheesecakes, almond cakes and tarts were also
served.
Roman Food served at a
Roman Feast or Banquet
A description of Roman Food
served at a supper feast held by Petronius (ca. 27–66), a
Roman writer, is as follows:
A large round tray is brought in, with
the signs of the zodiac figured all round it, upon each of
which the artist had placed some appropriate viand
(delicious dish). A goose on Aquarius, a pair of scales with
tarts and cheesecakes in each scale on Libra. In the middle
was placed a hive supported by delicate herbage. Four slaves
come forward dancing to the sound of music taking away the
upper part of the dish beneath which appeared all kinds of
dressed meats. A hare with wings, to imitate Pegasus in the
middle and four figures of Marsyas (satyrs) at the corners.
Then pouring hot sauce over the fish, that were swimming in
the Euripus (the Euripus was a strait on the Aegean Sea)
below. Finishing with the porcus Trojanus (a huge sort of
pudding stuffed with the flesh of other animals) |
