Life in antique Rome: Cuisine

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The kitchen table was the mirror of civilization and culture, reflecting the cultivation of land and the transformation of produce. What did the romans eat? Sources from back the( Apicius, Juvenal, Petronius; Columella) have passed down the details of ingredients and thei preparation, including etiquette and rituals. Here are some details, recipes, and methods used in the kitchen: Ingredients: Not as we would have imagined, the mediterranean diet back then lacked certain ingredients that didn't arrive to Europe until after the discovery of America: Tomatoes, peppers, patatoes, rice,corn, and certain citrus fruits were non-existent. Even pasta didn't exist, given that wheat served as a binder not as a staple to make spaghetti or tagliatelle. But fish, meat, legumes, eggs, cereals, and cheese didn't stop lucullus, for example, from preparing large banquettes of exceptional quality.