SoA Forum

History => Ancient and Medieval History => Topic started by: Justin Swanton on Sep 10, 2021, 07:52 AM

Title: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Justin Swanton on Sep 10, 2021, 07:52 AM
Video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uty_iY8tQPs) by the National Trust that revolutionises our understanding of Roman dietary habits in Antiquity.
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Imperial Dave on Sep 10, 2021, 07:54 AM
locally grown presumably....
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Justin Swanton on Sep 10, 2021, 07:55 AM
Quote from: Holly on Sep 10, 2021, 07:54 AM
locally grown presumably....

Evidently not. But it shows the impressive extent of imperial trade networks. Suck it up, Leif Eriksson!
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Imperial Dave on Sep 10, 2021, 07:58 AM
no local bananas? in this climate? madness I tell you
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Jim Webster on Sep 10, 2021, 08:50 AM
Quote from: Justin Swanton on Sep 10, 2021, 07:55 AM
Quote from: Holly on Sep 10, 2021, 07:54 AM
locally grown presumably....

Evidently not. But it shows the impressive extent of imperial trade networks. Suck it up, Leif Eriksson!

Actually the descendants of Lief Eriksson are (or were at one point) self sufficient in home grown bananas, Iceland is (or at one point was) self sufficient in bananas because they were growing them using free geothermic heat  8)
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Imperial Dave on Sep 10, 2021, 08:51 AM
 :o
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Swampster on Sep 10, 2021, 08:55 AM
Presumably the variety grown in Cirencester were not Cavendish but Stultus aprilis?
Title: Re: Exciting discovery in the Cotswolds: ancient Roman recipe for banana bread
Post by: Justin Swanton on Sep 10, 2021, 09:50 AM
Quote from: Jim Webster on Sep 10, 2021, 08:50 AM
Quote from: Justin Swanton on Sep 10, 2021, 07:55 AM
Quote from: Holly on Sep 10, 2021, 07:54 AM
locally grown presumably....

Evidently not. But it shows the impressive extent of imperial trade networks. Suck it up, Leif Eriksson!

Actually the descendants of Lief Eriksson are (or were at one point) self sufficient in home grown bananas, Iceland is (or at one point was) self sufficient in bananas because they were growing them using free geothermic heat  8)

I didn't know that. Another interesting fact about Lief and co. is that they were almost certainly the inventors of the barbecue. Why bother keeping up a smokey hearth indoors when you could just braai your meat outdoors on some nice cooling lava nearby? A possible etymology for "barbecue" is "bearded" (=barbarian) + "to cook" (coquere in Latin), i.e. "barbarian cuisine". Fascinating the little facts one picks up. Almost as interesting as doing Livy or Polybius.  ::)

Edit: the ancient Viking cooking tradition is still practised today (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6VHewvyH5o).