Food science, gastronomic appreciation, cookery shows, culinary experimentation, etc., all seem modern concepts, which make us wonder how things were in the past.

1. A Look at the
Gastronomic
Delicacies of the
Ancient World

2. Food science, gastronomic appreciation, cookery
shows, culinary experimentation, etc., all seem modern
concepts, which make us wonder how things were in
the past. In fact, history tells us that an environment of
food culture existed even in ancient times. Food was an
important aspect of the culture of the great civilizations
of the past.
The cuisine of ancient civilizations was amazingly
diverse. One of the reasons for that were the conquests
they embarked on. As civilizations conquered and
explored other towns, villages and kingdoms, they
absorbed the cuisine and culinary traits of those
people. So a successful kingdom had a wide palette to
choose from.
Rome’s Rich Culinary Ideas
Take Rome, for example. Rome’s culinary ideas largely
came from the kingdoms it was exposed to through its
trade routes, explorations and conquests at the height
of its glory. The staple food of Rome consisted of
sausage, cheese, olive oil and bread with honey. Many
herbs and vegetables were used, such as thyme,
rosemary, basil, bay leaf, shallots, garlic, onions,
cabbage, radishes, turnips, etc. Many of these were
imported from Africa and Asia where they were grown.
Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) also contributed to the
Roman palette with beets, cucumbers, mustard, cumin,
marjoram, and fennel.
The Romans also had a sauce that had fish and salt as
its main ingredients. It was called “garum”. Dormice

3. were quite common in the Roman, Gaul and Etruscan
civilizations. They were consumed, stuffed and roasted
– dormice stuffed with minced pork and pine nuts,
pepper and herbs, and cooked in an oven could be
considered an example of how experimentation
prevailed even in those days.
The Pottage Tradition
Pottage was a staple food even from Biblical times, and
was made not just from fish and vegetables, but also
meat. It was part of the staple food, particularly in
Britain. Supper in Britain included mutton and wild
game along with bread. The Romans had a kind of
porridge for breakfast that was consumed with honey,
dates and pancakes.
Wide Choice of Meat
Quail and other such small birds were eaten by the
Romans after they were decorated with herbs, eggs
and asparagus. Wild birds were also part of the diet of
Egyptians. They consumed quail, pigeon, heron, duck
and goose. The Egyptians were also the first to
domesticate cattle and wild pigs. The meat was
reportedly consumed by the elite.
The Aztecs are also known to have consumed beans,
avocados, pepper, squash and corn maize. One of their
prominent dishes was atole, a maize porridge
containing tortillas, tamales, chillies and other
vegetables. Meat was also part of their diet, and
included wild game, turkeys, dogs and ducks.

4. Desserts and Chocolate
Desserts were well known too back then. Apricots,
apples, grapes, cherries, dates, melons, pomegranates,
plums, pears and figs were among those consumed as
dessert in Rome, Egypt, Greece, China and
Mesopotamia. Chocolate was consumed by the Aztecs,
but it was reserved for the nobility and warrior classes.
Rice and Noodles
In China, rice was the staple food along with which
they consumed cabbage, beans, peas, wheat and
millet. Of course, the one dish that comes to mind
when you think of the Chinese is rice noodles. The
Chinese consumed these with fish, poultry, eggs,
vegetable and pickles.
As you’ve just seen, the ancient civilizations had plenty
of stuff to munch on. Many cooking methods and
techniques evolved over the centuries. By the turn of
the 19th
century, the celebrity chef concept started
gaining popularity and the centuries of tradition was
enriched by new innovations.
About Peter Theodorou
A chef par excellence, Peter Theodorou spends a lot of
time studying the culinary styles of the various
civilizations and loves innovating on established dishes.