Ancient Roman Kitchens: The Roman women were very fond of cooking. In ancient Rome, foodstuffs like bread, cakes, and muffins were prepared at home in a circular domed oven. Most of the ancient Roman food was cooked over an open hearth by means of cauldrons suspended from chains.

In Roman Kitchens Cooking in ancient Rome was done in the kitchen but sometimes outside. In such cases, communal ovens were available. A small hole in the ceiling or a wall vent was made for the smoke or fumes arising as a result of cooking to emanate.

Ancient Roman Kitchens

The ancient Roman food was prepared with a mixture of fruit, honey, and vinegar in order to impart a sweet-sour flavor to the food. In most cases, meat was broiled. Since in those ancient times preservation of foods was difficult and often a problem so popular foods, like as fish and shellfish were shipped live to their desired destination.

However, sometimes, by means of a tedious and monotonous process of preservation including pickling, drying, and salting, meat and fish could be preserved. In ancient Rome, food poisoning was a common affair.

Roman Dinner

The ancient Romans generally ate one large meal daily. Breakfast called Ientaculum, if taken, was a light meal which included nothing but a loaf of bread. This was followed by the main meal of the day, that is, dinner called Cena at midday, followed by a small supper in the evening called Vesperia.

In Ancient Rome, cereals were the staple food. Bread was the only most often eaten food in ancient Rome. It was sometimes sweetened with honey or cheese and eaten along with sausage, domestic fowl, eggs or fish. Fish and oysters were very popular, and even meat, particularly pork, was in high demand.

What Ancient Roman Ate

The ancient Romans also ate cakes, pastries, and tarts which were baked commercially and at home, often sweetened with honey. Vegetables, such as cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, onion, garlic, radishes, lentils, and beans were imported. Fruits and nuts were also available to the Roman consumer.

A variety of strongly flavored sauces, spices, and herbs were very popular ingredients of the ancient Roman cuisine. This is inferred from the archaeological evidence, literary references as well as paintings and portraits. The ancient Romans loved wine. However, they drank it adulterer with water, spiced and heated. The undiluted wine was considered to be barbaric.

What did Romans drink

Pasca was probably popular among the lower ancient Roman classes. It was a drink prepared from watering down acetic acid, similar to vinegar. Beer and mead were most commonly drunk in the northern Roman provinces. Milk, especially from sheep or goats, was considered to be barbaric and was hence reserved for making cheese or medicines.

The ancient Romans sat upright to eat, but the wealthy Romans often reclined on couches at dinner parties or ate outside in gardens. Food was eaten with the fingers and cut with knives crafted using wood, or bronze with an iron blade. Bronze, silver, and bone spoons were used to for eating. These spoons contained pointed handles which could be used to extract and dig out shellfish or snails from their shells.

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