Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome

As a historian and foodie, this book is essential to anyone interested in how Romans lived. It's literally one of the world's first cook books, and all the recipes work. Many of the recipes from Ancient Rome would form the standard European and middle-eastern repertoire of cooking up to the modern day. Ovis Apalus, for example, is deviled eggs (albeit, the Romans liked them a little more fishy, adding shrimp and fish sauce). The sausage recipes are easily recognized in the modern day as breakfast, Italian, and Salami. There is even a recipe that will astonish those of Scotch ancestry. Apparently, Apicius has a recipe for a dish that is nearly identical to modern-day haggis! This book will amuse, amaze, and satisfy your palate and stomach, as well as your mind, with accessible, exotic, and arguably accessible cuisine. The translation and adaptation of recipes is very well done. You need not worry about making your own garum, for example, a sauce made from fermented fish guts; many asian supermarkets carry bottled fish sauce that is made in much the same way, and tastes much the same, as well (Don't worry, it tastes like anchovies). We once used this book as the basis for a Roman Style toga party and feast. Everyone loved it.

interesting, ease to make, great value

I haven't cooked anything from it yet. It came to my Kindle and it was pretty good. I will try something I am sure perhaps but I like it because of its historical value. It wasn't that expensive so why not buy it and have it in case want to do something special or a themed party?

I got this as a gift for my partner, who enjoys watching videos online of people creating ancient recipes and modernizing them. He is fascinated by ancient cooking so I bought this for him just as a “just because I love you” surprise gift, and he hadn’t heard of it and has been up reading it every night. It’s sparked his interest even more and he is constantly researching terms and animals and cookware mentioned in the book. Makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys both cooking and ancient history.

I like that not only does this have history about the cooking, but also recipes. My husband found this in our mail. I had intended it for Christmas, but when he saw it by accident, he could not put it down. We have made some of the recipes already, and think that this was a good purchase. My husband is a Roman fanatic, and huge historian. He really enjoys this book. I hope to find more like it soon.

I bought this as a gift for someone who was very interested in ancient recipes and methods of cooking. When I told them that this was one of several modern translations of the oldest known cook book in existence, they absolutely freaked out and loved it! Plus, having this hard cover book on display in your kitchen makes you look like a pro!

I'm interested in historical cookbooks, but the mountains of notes on the translations made this challenging to follow for me (partly because I'm less interested in the translation process than the recipes/techniques and circumstances of the cooking. Still, the book offers an interesting look at cooking centuries ago.

Education in good taste. For some this could be dry, but I enjoyed just about every morsel. Interesting, but challenging, I enjoyed finding the origins of dishes today and some that thankfully didn't make it, such as dormouse. Vermacelli; little worms, it's going to be hard to look at a plate of spaghetti without thinking about that. Some of the recipes could be a preppers delight. The recipes are frugal using everything from the rooter to the tooter.