La recette disparue de l'Antiquité

Ben and Fabian launch a new historical cooking series covering about ten episodes exploring the history of European and French food from Antiquity to the present day.

• Geographic scope: different locations for each recipe • Temporal scope: from Antiquity to the present day • Social scope: recipes primarily aristocratic based on textual and literary sources

Fabian works with the Cuisine Historique collective, a research and culinary interpretation group, and teaches at the European Institute of Food History and Culture (IEHCA) in Tours.

The recipes represent historical interpretation rather than exact reconstruction, as taste is cultural and ingredients have changed over the centuries.

• Archaeozoological and archaeobotanical sources • Pottery remains and vessels with encrusted cooking residues • Writings by Roman authors on Gallic food

Food residue analysis conducted in laboratory using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine the composition of cooked foods.

• Cumin was already used in the Gallo-Roman period • Dill, celery, and parsley were available since Prehistory • Coriander was acclimated by the Romans

Personal and cultural taste varies, current ingredients have undergone natural or human-induced mutations, and modern cooking techniques differ from ancient methods.

• One onion • One tablespoon of lard • One sprig of parsley • A small piece of celery • About 400 g of pork sauté • White wine • Vinegar • Coriander seeds • Cumin seeds

One teaspoon of coriander and one teaspoon of cumin, previously ground in a mortar. Vinegar amounts to one tablespoon to prevent the dish from becoming too acidic.

Recipes are not fixed and each cook can adapt them according to their taste and preferences while staying true to the spirit of the original recipe.

Onions are chopped, pork is cut into medium-sized pieces, parsley is finely sliced, and spices are ground before cooking.

• Lard melts quickly in the pot • Onions turn golden before adding the meat • The meat is well seared on all sides • Liquid (wine and vinegar) is poured to cover the meat

Finely chopped herbs and spices are added from the start so the meat infuses with all the flavors during simmering. Salt is added for seasoning.

The dish simmers for about 1 to 1.5 hours. This long cooking renders the meat tender and allows better sauce reduction.

It is a very simple recipe to make that likely corresponds to the eating habits of the period, without particular refinement or sophistication in cooking operations.

The simmered pork has a brown-orange color, almost caramelized thanks to the presence of honey. The recipe releases an excellent aroma with a subtle blend of flavors.

• Blend of sweet and sour with coriander • Pronounced sweet-sour note • Simultaneously simmered and fresh flavors • Resonances with Eastern cuisine

The meat could also simmer in milk mixed with water instead of wine, based on the discovery of lactic ferment traces in ceramic analysis. Cheese could have been added depending on available options.

• Rice (though not consumed at the time) • Leeks cooked in milk • Legumes such as beans or lentils

• Danièle Alexandre-Bidon - Analysis of Food Residues, Espace Médiévaux Picard editions • Anne Flouest and Jean-Paul Romac - Gallic Cuisine Continues (volume 2)

Anne Flouest is a geologist and paleoclimatologist who studied the climates of the Gallic period, while Jean-Paul Romac is a chef who created the recipes. Their diverse disciplinary approaches enrich understanding of ancient cuisine.

Climate and geographic zones have evolved enormously, affecting what grew in southern France and Europe. Understanding these climate changes is essential for determining what was truly consumed at the time.

Species mutations can be natural or human-induced. These transformations, including climate changes, are integral to studying historical food and understanding ancient culinary practices.