Today we start together a virtual journey to discover the customs, recipes and habits at the table in different historical periods. Let’s start, since I am Roman, to talk about the eating habits of my ancestors.

The doctors of ancient Rome dissuaded a hearty breakfast and so Caesar, barely awake, was used to drink a glass of water and eat bread and cheese. At noon, the music did not change much, the lunch was light and consisted predominantly of fresh bread, cold meat, fruit and wine.

But around 4 p.m.  our friends in Rome began their main meal which in the event of the festivities could last even until dawn the next day. The dinner was prepared in triclini, rooms so called cause they had three sofas, on each of which the diners used to lie down.

The women would be admitted as invited to lunches only in imperial Rome . The men were sitting on the benches while the slaves if they were allowed to participate ( but that was only to serve the master and take him back home if he was in a drunken state ) sat on the floor at the foot of the couch.

Our Caesar and his friends ate seeds lying on its side. It seems that in this position you could swallow ” more ” ‘ crush food and possibly a nap between one course and the other .

The kitchen in Imperial Rome was a fine art , where the research was a feature of the magnificence of the banquets of the rich Romans, in fact, ” ” De coquinaria” of Apicius ( gastronome of ancient Rome ) , we are told how the boards were full of all delicious kinds of food : goats, lambs , bird, the fish was considered , seasoned with various sauces , a delicious food . The beef , however, was given to the poor , just because it was considered to be of poor quality. The wine and the dishes were served by good-looking young slaves who wore coloured tunics.

And here we are , finally we sit at the table together to Caesar , immediately wash our hands with scented water , the banquet begins with a first service to the entrees and appetizers ( gustatio ); at this stage is served mulsum a honey wine , remember that at that time existed in ancient Rome about 200 different types of wines. It then goes to the real lunch consists of seven courses ( primae mensae ) and finally the secundae mensae where you eat sweets and other snacks for heavily spiced and spicy to excite the thirst .

All this was accompanied by the performance of singers and mimes but at this stage we also gladly would exchange small talk . At the table were never lacking salt and vinegar cruet , you would serve yourselves from common dishes , but there would have also been the chance to hold a holster and the food was brought to the mouth with the fingers , the knife was not needed because there were slaves especially appointed to reduce your food into small pieces.

The wine in these banquets was drunk but never without pure water,  because since the  fermentation were not being controlled, the alcohol content was a lot higher . The wine was flavored with honey and spices , a typical recipe was conditum paradoxum : wine, honey , bay leaves , dates, pepper , saffron . The beer (wine dorzo ) was considered vulgar.

And we came to the commissatio ceremony that put an end to the banquet, provided you to drink in one gulp a series of cups as determined by who chairs the commissatio. The guests, starting from the most important drunk and toast running a cup.

Let’s say that all this was happening in the homes of wealthy Romans, the majority of the population, not being rich,  consumed meals much more simple based on fruits, grains and legumes, certain disadvantage was to eat less but the advantage was definitely eating more healthy, without excess in the consumption of meat and condiments that caused many to suffer from gout.

Last Sight , the napkin was sometimes brought from home, cause at the end of dinner the leftovers were wrapped  to take away.

Our Caesar is now in the world of dreams and we come back quickly in 2013 to finish our dinner (a little heavy to be honest) with a good coffee’! See you!