Guides

Across the Roman world, many sauces began with a simple physical act: leaves, seeds, aromatics, and salt were crushed until their separate identities gave way…

Raisin wine belongs to a wider Mediterranean tradition in which grapes were transformed before fermentation to concentrate their sugars, aromas, and preserving…

After sunset, Capua would have been a city of movement: travelers arriving along the Via Appia, merchants closing their stalls, laborers looking for a cheap…

Rue was one of the most distinctive herbs in the ancient Mediterranean kitchen. Its blue-green leaves carried a sharp, bitter, resinous aroma that could…

When modern readers encounter Roman food, they often imagine elaborate banquets crowded with exotic sauces, imported spices, and theatrical presentation. Cato…

Foul medames is one of Egypt’s most familiar comfort foods: tender fava beans cooked until creamy, then enriched with oil, herbs, onion, garlic, or acidic…

Horse meat occupies an uneasy place in the history of ancient Gaul. Archaeological evidence shows that horses were sometimes slaughtered and eaten before and…

Before wine became the defining drink of the Mediterranean, freshly pressed grape juice already had an important place in seasonal food culture. Romans called…

In ancient Greece, wedding food carried meanings that extended well beyond nourishment. Grain suggested fertility, honey evoked sweetness and prosperity, and…

Ancient Mesopotamian beer was a food as much as a drink. It supplied calories, hydration, and social meaning across Sumerian and Babylonian communities, while…