Valentine's Day 2021

Back in the time of the feast of Lupercalia, entrees were understandably quite different. It is said emperors ate exotic things like giraffe and flamingo. We won't be suggesting you serve giraffe here, but we wish to offer inspiration for your foray into Roman foods. Below is a link to more obtainable Roman recipes for you to try with your residents in honer of Valentine's roots. First, let's explore a little bit more about the food culture in Roman times.

Roman Flavors
Roman food was heavily reliant on fish sauce for its success. Wine, honey, vinegar, oil, and fish sauce are combined to create a balance of sweet, sour, and salty.

Sample Roman Banquet Menu
Appetizers
Jellyfish and eggs
Sow's udders stuffed with salted sea urchins
Patina of brains cooked with milk and eggs
Boiled tree fungi with peppered fish-fat sauce
Sea urchins with spices, honey, oil, and egg sauce

Main Courses
Fallow deer roasted with onion sauce, rue, Jericho dates, raisins, oil, and honey
Boiled ostrich with sweet sauce
Turtledove boiled in its feathers
Roast parrot
Dormice stuffed with pork and pine kernels
Ham boiled with figs and bay leaves, rubbed with honey, baked in pastry crust
Flamingo boiled with dates

Desserts
Fricassee of roses with pastry
Pitted dates stuffed with nuts and pine kernels, fried in honey
Hot African sweet-wine cakes with honey

A firsthand account of the food served at one of Emperor Nero's "simple" meals.

"After a generous rubdown with oil, we put on dinner clothes. We were taken into the next room where we found three couches drawn up and a table, very luxuriously laid out, awaiting us.

We were invited to take our seats. Immediately, Egyptian slaves came in and poured ice water over our hands. The starters were served. On a large tray stood a donkey made of bronze. On its back were two baskets, one holding green olives, and the other black. On either side were dormice, dipped in honey and rolled in poppy seed. Nearby, on a silver grill, piping hot, lay small sausages.

As for wine, we were fairly swimming in it."
- Gaius Petronius (27-66), advisor to Emperor Nero in matters of luxury and extravagance.

Source: https://delishably.com/world-cuisine/ancient-food-rome