Roman
LIVING

A Taste
of the
Ancient World

 Roman
HISTORY

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Roman Living History

Picture of Roman hob from the house of the Vetti Pompeii.

Picture of our replica masonry hob

Picture of our portable replica hob.

Some Basic requirements for cooking at Roman shows

I have been approached by a number of Roman living history groups who want to improve their cooking demonstrations for the public. One particular request came from a group who were fed up of hiding behind their tent to eat their packed lunch! They could easily feed themselves from a cauldron or hob top, especially as Medieval and later era groups have such spectacular cooking displays.

My husband and I have made Roman cooking into a second career and while we are loath to make our unique cooking display obsolete, we are quite happy to pass on basic information to other groups so they can improve their displays. I know a number of groups have already made hob tops and it seems churlish not to encourage them. I do not want to appear arrogant over this issue. You may have already developed recipes from Apicius and acquired all the equipment. For you all I say is good luck and go for it! But I have been asked to share my knowledge and willingly do so.

The Hob

The Roman hob is simply a raised hearth that makes cooking more convenient. Everything that was done at ground level was possible at waist height with more ease. We made our hob from very easily acquired materials. A steel sheet sits on a box structure made of medium density fiber board and has a slight drop of 2” all round and a flat lip that rests on the box. Bars of wood are nailed in place under this lip, around the metal sheet to give it strength and to protect the MDF from the heat generated by the fire. Plaster is used to hide the join between the metal and wood but requires frequent replacing, as the plaster chips off when the structure is moved. The sides and back are slotted together with 1/4” bolts and washers. The whole structure flat-packs into a relatively small space. The MDF base needs numerous coats of water proof paint in order to protect the bottom from wet grass etc. The arch in the front of the hob was never meant for a fire (despite frequent illustrations in children’s books). As the hob was made of masonry this arch saved on materials and served as a storage place for charcoal etc.

Picture of trivet from Museum of Reading on our hob with cooking pot in place.

We made this trivet ourselves using iron bars and an arch welder. It did not require professional skills. The pot is a replica of one found at Battle on the Kent coast and was made by Roy Calthorp, who is a skilled potter who specializes in replicas. He can be contacted on 01424 774600

Other essential equipment

Numerous pots, plates, bowls, wooden plates, imitation Samian wear, wooden spoons etc. At least one fry pan( I use a plain copper fry pans because I can not afford, or know how to make suitable replicas)

Set of fire tools- adapt an old fashioned set with wood handles etc. or have them made?

Mortarium and wooden pestle

Hessian sacks for wood and charcoal

Woven wool or hessian ‘oven cloths’ and strips of calico or linen for cleaning

Wooden bucket for washing up- take and use an anti-bacterial spray(leave it out, no matter what EH says)

Some form of table for working on( or makeshift boxes covered in hessian)

Cool box and blue frozen blocks

Chopping board- use old fashioned one made of solid wood not glued.

NB/ you can not offer food to the public unless you have a valid hygiene certificate and some skill in cooking!

Simple recipes adapted for living history

The following dishes are the ones I tend to do every event as they are always successful with the public and are also relatively easy. The ‘stews’ can be done in small quantities on the hob or for larger amounts, in a cauldron.

LENTILS (Apicius 5,2,3; Classical Cookbook p89)

  • 1 btl cheap sweet white wine
  • 1 pkt/ 250 gms green lentils
  • 3 large leeks
  • 1 large bunch fresh coriander(buy from Indian greengrocer or independent veg shop)
  • generous handful of fresh mint
  • 1/2 jar runny honey
  • generous splash of wine vinegar
  • “” fish sauce (Thai or Vietnamese- Nuc Nam)
  • “” extra virgin olive oil splash of reduced grape juice( 1 carton of juice gently reduced to a syrup, by 3/4)
  • 3 heaped tsp. coriander seeds( do not use powder)
  • 1 tsp. pepper corns
  • Asa foetida( this is not essential and I rarely use it on sites, its dangerous!!!!)

Put wine and lentils on to boil, (1 1/2 hr. depending on wind and quality of charcoal, add water if it reduces too much). When almost cooked add leeks and all other liquids- keep it simmering. Put seeds in small fry pan and roast over coals until they begin to spit, put in Mortarium and grind to a powder (at least 15 mins), add too pot and continue cooking. Taste- if too sweet add vinegar, if too bland add more fish sauce.

You can thicken the sauce with a little cornflour, particularly if it is not to be served straight away as it can become very dry.

Minutal Matianum, Pork with apple (Apicius 4,3,4: CCB p 121)

  • 2lb diced pork
  • 8oz minced pork or beef or lamb(roll into balls and fry off in a little oil)
  • 1 btl cheap sweet white wine
  • 3 leeks
  • 4 eating apples
  • 1/2 jar honey
  • generous splash vinegar
  • “” olive oil
  • “” fish sauce
  • good handful mint
  • large bunch fresh coriander
  • 1bay leaf
  • 3 tsp. cumin seed
  • 3 tsp. coriander seed
  • 1 tsp. pepper corns

Put wine, bay and pork together in pot or cauldron, bring to boil and simmer till almost done. add the meal balls and the leeks. Follow instructions from the recipe above for the remaining ingredients.

Vitellian Peas (Apicius 5,3,5: CCB p 120)

This is ideal for re-enactment and it tastes very different.

  • 1 pkt 250gms dried peas or fresh broad beans
  • 3/4 inch fresh ginger
  • large sprig of lovage or the leaf of two celery hearts
  • 4 cooked egg yokes
  • 1/4 jar honey
  • generous splash of wine vinegar
  • “” fish sauce
  • 2 wine glasses white wine
  • splash of olive oil
  • peppercorns

Soak the peas over night. Strain the water away and put them on to boil with enough water to cover. Add extra water if necessary. When really soft, scoop out of pot into clean dish, discarding remaining water and mash them with wooden spoon then leave aside. In mortarium add pepper, lovage and the chopped ginger and pound/grind till all the ginger has been broken up. Add the honey and mix well then flush out the mortarium with the other liquids. Put peas and the sauce together and heat. Adjust salt/sweet/sharpness with fish sauce/honey/vinegar.

Cabbage with leek and caraway ( adapted from Apicius; not in CCB)

  • 1 large white cabbage
  • 4 leeks
  • large handful fresh coriander
  • 2 tsp. caraway seed
  • oil
  • fish sauce
  • white wine
  • pepper corns

Slice thinly and sauté the cabbage in the oil with a little wine, add the leeks, coriander and seeds and cook gently until tender. Add fish sauce to taste. (treat it like salt) grind pepper and add before serving.

Honey nut omelette (Apicius 4,2,16 CCB P139)

  • 2 handfuls of mixed nuts
  • 10 pepper corns
  • 2 tblspn honey
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tblspn milk
  • 2 tblspn wine
  • olive oil
  • 1 tblspn fish sauce

Put nuts in fry pan and roast them over the charcoal to give them a good brown colour. Put in the mortarium with the peppercorns and grind them to a course grain. Add the honey and mix to a paste, add the eggs and mix fully before adding the milk wine and fish sauce. Before cooking the omelette, cover the bottom of the fry pan with salt and heat it through on a fierce fire until it turns brown, shake frequently. Rub the salt into the pan using a piece of cloth. Tip salt away and clean it fully. Heat the oil in a fry pan and add the egg mixture and allow it to set. Pull the mixture in occasionally to allow the fluid to flow. Ensure the mixture is quite set before turning out. Pour a little more warmed honey over the dish and some freshly ground pepper.

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