Roman Desert

[Lost_Warrior]

(swiped this bit from another thread)

 

THE BANQUET was divided into 3 parts, the third part, the Secundae mensae, was the dessert, which at large feasts developed into a drinking party, or COMISSATIO.

 

We have plenty of recipes for foods eaten at the banquet, but what did a Roman 'dessert' consist of? I don't think they had sugar cane, so I'm guessing anything sweet (that is, if they did enjoy something sweet after a meal as we do) would appear much different than what we are used to.

 

Would fruit, such as figs (which are very sweet) be in order? Or were cakes sweetened with honey more likely? Something else entirely?

[Faustus]

(swiped this bit from another thread)

THE BANQUET was divided into 3 parts, the third part, the Secundae mensae, was the dessert, which at large feasts developed into a drinking party, or COMISSATIO.

Would fruit, such as figs (which are very sweet) be in order? Or were cakes sweetened with honey more likely? Something else entirely?

I think they drank their desert, but metaphorically conversation filled the bill.

 

But further, "....Apicius, the foremost Roman gastronome, included a very elaborate dish among his recipes, served cold, in which the cheese was blended with honey, peppermint, watermelon, vinegar and many other ingredients."

 

The isle of Samos as being famous for cheesecakes, for which Athenaeus left this recipe, "Take some cheese and pound it, put in a brazen sieve and strain it, then add honey and flour made from spring wheat and heat the whole together into one mass."

It was customary to serve cheesecakes as wedding cakes from this era and at Argos it was traditional for the bride to" bring little cakes that were roasted, covered with honey, and served to the bridegroom's friends." "

 

From Greece the Romans spread cheesecake across Europe.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, Amici

(swiped this bit from another thread)

THE BANQUET was divided into 3 parts, the third part, the Secundae mensae, was the dessert, which at large feasts developed into a drinking party, or COMISSATIO.

Would fruit, such as figs (which are very sweet) be in order? Or were cakes sweetened with honey more likely? Something else entirely?

I think they drank their desert, but metaphorically conversation filled the bill.

 

But further, "....Apicius, the foremost Roman gastronome, included a very elaborate dish among his recipes, served cold, in which the cheese was blended with honey, peppermint, watermelon, vinegar and many other ingredients."

It could be one of these;

Here comes (Marcus Gavius?) Apicius, De Re Coquinaria, Liber IV Pandecter cp. I Sala Cattabia, sec. I-II:

 

I. SALA CATTABIA.

Piper, mentam, apium, puleium aridum, caseum, nucleos pineos, mel, acetum, liquamen, ovorum vitella, aquam recentem. Panem ex posca maceratum exprimes, caseum bubulum, cucumeres in caccabulo compones, interpositis nucleis. Mittes concisi capparisminuti iocusculis gallinarum. Ius profundes, super frigidam collocabis et sic apones.

 

Pepper, fresh mint, celery, dry pennyroyal, cheese, pignolia nuts, honey, vinegar, broth, yolks of egg, fresh water, soaked bread and the liquid pressed out, cow's cheese and cucumbers are arranged in a dish, alternately, with the nuts; also add finely chopped capers, chicken livers; cover completely with a lukewarm, congealing broth, place on ice and when congealed unmould and serve up.

 

II. ALITER SALA CATTABIA APICIANA.

Adicies in mortario apii semen, puleium aridum, mentam aridam, gingiber, coriandrum viridem, uvam passam enucleatam, mel, acetum, oleum et vinum, conteres. Adicies in caccabulo panis Picentini frusta, interpones pulpas pulli, glandulas haedinas, caseum Vestinum, nucleos pinos, cucumeres, cepas aridas minute concisas. Ius supra perfundes. Insuper nivem sub hora asparges et inferes.

 

Put in the mortar celery seed, dry pennyroyal, dry mint, ginger, fresh coriander, seedless raisins, honey, vinegar, oil and wine; crush it together in order to make a dressing of it. Now Place 3 pieces of Picentian bread in a mould, interlined with pieces of cooked chicken, cooked sweetbreads of calf or lamb, cheese, pignolia nuts, cucumbers [pickles], finely chopped dry onions [shallots] covering the whole with jellified broth. Bury the mould in snow up to the rim; unmould, sprinkle with the above dressing and serve.

[ASCLEPIADES]

The isle of Samos as being famous for cheesecakes, for which Athenaeus left this recipe, "Take some cheese and pound it, put in a brazen sieve and strain it, then add honey and flour made from spring wheat and heat the whole together into one mass."

This quotation is from Athenaeus of Naucratis The deipnosophists, volume III, Book XIV.

 

This cheesecake is called Tyroscinum, from the fusion of the Greek words for Cheese (τυρov) and sieve (κόσκινο).

 

In the same chapter, Athenaeus mentioned many other varieties of cheesecakes; in fact, he quoted a whole treatise on cheesecakes by Harpocration the Mendesian.

[Lost_Warrior]

Oh I love cheesecake! Any more recipes?