Food: "On the subject of (roman) cooking"

I've been searching and searching for information about "Roman" cooking. Traditional Roman cooking, poor mans food, whatever you want to call it. Although not written for the poor, I keep coming across "APICIUS".

They say Apicius is a collection of texts and its earliest editions were given the overall title of "De re coquinaria", or "On the Subject of Cooking". It has been pseudepigraphically (go ahead, check the spelling Tina. I checked it first this time!! a ha ha ha) attributed to 1st centry Marcus Gavius Apicius, a gourmet and lover of all things luxurious.

So far, sooo cool! Wowie food AND history. It's like a sparklie. I've just got to have it Mrs. B.

Here's what I've found on Amazon, will continue searching and buy a copy.

Vacation: It's now written in stone

(I wonder if that saying comes from where I think it comes from)

"Weeeeehooooo" is how Mom puts it. I think that is most appropriate.


Check it out: http://www.vrbo.com/32035

A great BIG THANK YOU goes out to Mom for all her research, investigation, careful attention and thought to find us an apartment in Rome. Ok ok, I've got to type that again ... us an apartment in Rome. An apartment in Rome. Apartment in Rome... Weeeeehooooooo indeed!!!

I am pumped. Shhhhhh don't tell them I plan to commandeer the kitchen as "mine kitchen... out out!"

Reading: Marcus, where have you been...!

The 'rents introduced me to this series last year. It is fan-freakin'-tastic!

Here's a brief intro from wiki; "Marcus Didius Falco is the central character and narrator in a series of novels by Lindsey Davis. Using the concepts of modern detective stories (with Falco as the private investigator, roughly translated into the classical world as a 'private informer'), Davis portrays the world of the Roman Empire under Vespasian. The tone is arch and satirical, but the historical information provided is carefully accurate." Read more here: Marcus Didius Falco - Wiki Post

I am currently on book # 10 Two for the Lions.

I can't wait to spend more of my pancetta and parm budget on books. Hmmmm... about the only thing that will make me drool as much as a good healthy hunk of cheese ... the sound of new book bindings being "kashhhheeeeeeeee" for the first time. (Yup, thats the technical term)

This series is also monumental in another way. It's prompted the unnatural. The unthinkable. The INCONCEIVABLE. I've returned books 1 - 3 to their rightful owners.

Food: An email about pasta puttanesca

Received this email via last weekend.

"Even the baby likes Pasta Puttanesca"