Subject: Re: Recipes of antiquity

From: [email-masked] (Harry Maurer)
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 1994 04:05:46 GMT

Michael McKay ([email-masked]) wrote:
: 	I've been plotting out a dinner for a friend and colleague
: wherein I would reconstruct recipes from the plays of Aristophanes and
: serve them up to the guests.  Does anyone know of any books that
: actually discuss the history of food as far back as the 5th century BCE?

Blast -- it's been too long since I've read anything on this subject.  
Reay Tannehill has written an excellent book called FOOD IN HISTORY which 
gives an overview from the Neolithic on to the present (1970's or 
thereabouts).  She has a bibliography in back, and while trying to chase 
down the titles listed, I did find a tranlation of Apicius.  I'm living 
in a different town now, with a much less wide-ranging library; if I find 
anything of that kind I'll post here.

Michaele Maurer
-- 
Guns aren't lawful; nooses give;
	Gas smells awful;
		You might as well live.
			-- Dorothy Parker

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From: [email-masked] (Margaret Young)
Date: 30 Dec 1994 01:41:27 GMT

Harry Maurer ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Michael McKay ([email-masked]) wrote:
: : 	I've been plotting out a dinner for a friend and colleague
: : wherein I would reconstruct recipes from the plays of Aristophanes and
: : serve them up to the guests.  Does anyone know of any books that
: : actually discuss the history of food as far back as the 5th century BCE?

: Blast -- it's been too long since I've read anything on this subject.  
: Reay Tannehill has written an excellent book called FOOD IN HISTORY which 
: gives an overview from the Neolithic on to the present (1970's or 
: thereabouts).  She has a bibliography in back, and while trying to chase 
: down the titles listed, I did find a tranlation of Apicius.  I'm living 
: in a different town now, with a much less wide-ranging library; if I find 
: anything of that kind I'll post here.

: Michaele Maurer
 Tannahill's book is loads of fun, though it doesn't have recipes.  I would
check the Frugal Gourmet's Three Ancient Cuisines, as one of the cuisines
is that of Ancient Greece.
margaret
: -- 
: Guns aren't lawful; nooses give;
: 	Gas smells awful;
: 		You might as well live.
: 			-- Dorothy Parker

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 1994 02:22:18 UNDEFINED

>: : actually discuss the history of food as far back as the 5th century BCE?

Also, do try M.F.K. Fisher's SERVE IT FORTH, or the same title contained in 
her THE ART OF EATING. As I recall, she makes many comments about cooking and 
dining in Ancient Greece and Rome.

Waverly Root's FOOD also has marvelous historical references.  

Cheers, KD

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From: [email-masked] (Antonio Santosuosso)
Date: Sat, 31 Dec 1994 19:29:37 LOCAL

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Margaret Young) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (Margaret Young)
>Subject: Re: Recipes of antiquity
>Date: 30 Dec 1994 01:41:27 GMT

>:               You might as well live.

Actually an outstanding scholarly work on food is Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, 
History of Food (Blackwell, 1994) ISBN 0-631-19497-5.  It is an 800 page book, 
first published in French in 1987.  I just received it as a present. It is 
just  magnificent . There are no recipes although it contains 
enough bibliographical information to direct you to other sources.
I have the Frugal Gourmet's book. I am afraid that it is just a fanciful 
reconstruction of the ancient cuisines. An outstanding work on Ancient Rome is 
instead Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa, A Taste of Ancient Rome (The University of 
Chicago Press, Chicago 1992), first published in Italian in 1986. The ISBN for 
a very attractive paperback is 0-226-29032-8. Giacosa is aSwiss writer with a 
scholarly interest in archaeology and cooking.  The recipes contained in the 
book are first presented in Latin, then in translation, and finally in an 
adaptation for modern cuisine.  Most of them are from Apicius but  many also
>from  Cato. She at times gives  contemporary recipes from the 
Mediterranean which could be direct descendants of  ancient Roman recipes.
Best wishes,
Antonio Santosuosso