Ancient Romans called it ‘a matter of taste’ and they were right! Many of the dishes eaten by the Ancient Peoples of the Mediterranean coast are still appreciated today.
The discovery of ancient documents has allowed us to find out what Romans ate and, above all, how highly regarded olive oil was, especially in the area of Latium (central Italy).
The scientific journal Focus states that ‘One of the best examples of the exquisite taste of ancient Romans was that they combined sweet and savory tastes. A staple dish was the Gustum de praecoquis, an appetizer particularly famous among patrician families (aristocracy). The dish was described by Marco Gavio Apicio in his book De Re Coquinaria. Chefs prepared the dish by boiling apricots, adding crushed pepper and mint, fish sauce, sweet wine, wine and vinegar, and a drizzle of olive oil. Once thickened into a sauce, after about 20 minutes, chefs added some more pepper and then served it.’
The article continues by stating that ‘while the dish was sweet and could have been served as a dessert, it was served as an appetizer instead because of the pepper, vinegar and fish sauce’
What is particularly striking about this recipe is that, regardless of its flavor, the must-use ingredient was always olive oil.
Even in ancient times, chefs knew how to be creative just by using organic ingredients.
The regular use of olive oil in ancient times has been substantially documented, for instance by the publication named ‘Drops of oil in medieval cuisine’.
‘The qualities of olive oil were well-known by ancient Romans who made sure to produce it using advanced techniques and the best quality of olives. Latin writers interested in agriculture have copiously published on the topic of oil production.’
‘Nothing is left to chance: from the types of olives to harvesting methods, up to milling techniques’, ancient Romans cherished olive oil so much that a whole branch of Latin literature celebrates this product and provides detailed instructions on the production of this extract.’
Among the most famous works, there are ‘De agri cultura’ by Catone, ‘Naturalis Historia’ by Plinio the Young, ‘De re rustica’ by Columella: these Latin writers listed 10 different varieties of olive trees’ and five different categories of olive oil.
These are testimonies of a beautiful and long history which fascinates us to this day and teaches us the importance of good quality products.
Source: "Gocce d'olio nella cucina medievale", da "Epilogo gastronomico", in V. Bianchi, S. Sanjuan Ledesma, "Bari, la Puglia e l'islam", Bari 2014.
Focus online: https://www.focus.it/cultura/curiosita/a-tavola-con-gli-antichi-romani-6-cibi-per-tutti-i-gusti16 February 2022
