Native Name: Isicia Omentata Cultural Background: Recorded in Apicius, isicia are seasoned minced meat patties bound with soaked bread and pine nuts, cooked over a fire and sold hot from street stalls and popinae, the small eateries that lined Roman streets – a direct ancestor of the modern burger and meatball. Tips: Don't over-mix the […]
Introduction: Pan Tostado Cubano is the cornerstone of the Cuban breakfast table. Cultural Background: Pan Tostado Cubano is the cornerstone of the Cuban breakfast table. Cuban bread, a light, airy loaf with a thin crisp crust made distinctive by the use of lard or shortening in the dough, is split, buttered generously, and pressed until […]
Introduction: Pan Cubano is the light, crackling-crusted white bread that anchors Cuban breakfasts and sandwiches alike, distinguished from a French baguette by the addition of a small amount of lard or vegetable shortening in the dough, which gives it a softer, closer crumb. Cultural Background: Pan Cubano is the light, crackling-crusted white bread that anchors […]
Introduction: The Frita Cubana is Cuba's answer to the hamburger — a spiced, paprika-seasoned beef and pork patty served on a soft roll and topped with a tangle of thin shoestring fried potatoes tucked right into the bun. Cultural Background: The Frita Cubana is Cuba's answer to the hamburger — a spiced, paprika-seasoned beef and […]
Native Name: Salacatabia Cultural Background: Recorded in the Apicius collection, Salacatabia soaked stale bread in vinegar and water before combining it with herbs, cheese and cucumber – a practical way to use up old bread that shares clear roots with the bread salads still eaten around the Mediterranean today. Tips: Squeeze the soaked bread firmly […]
Native Name: Panis cum Caseo et Melle Cultural Background: Ientaculum, the Roman breakfast, was typically a quick, cold affair eaten shortly after rising: yesterday's bread, a soft fresh cheese, and honey for those who could afford it. This simple combination appears repeatedly in Roman sources as the standard morning meal for everyone from labourers to […]
Native Name: Panis Quadratus Cultural Background: Carbonised loaves of this exact shape were preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius and found in the ruins of Pompeii – a round loaf scored into eight wedges with a cord tied around its middle, likely so it could be carried or divided easily without a knife. Tips: Score […]
Introduction: Buzara is a classic Adriatic cooking method for shellfish, simmering mussels or scampi in white wine, garlic, olive oil and breadcrumbs. Cultural Background: Buzara is a classic Adriatic cooking method for shellfish, simmering mussels or scampi in white wine, garlic, olive oil and breadcrumbs. Popular along the entire Dalmatian and Istrian coastline, it's typically […]
Introduction: The Zagreb-style cutlet is a breaded veal or pork escalope rolled around ham and cheese, then fried until golden. Cultural Background: The Zagreb-style cutlet is a breaded veal or pork escalope rolled around ham and cheese, then fried until golden. A 20th-century restaurant classic named for the capital, it remains one of Croatia's most […]
Introduction: A simple but revered Dalmatian starter pairing air-dried prosciutto (pršut), cured for months in the bura winds of the Adriatic coast, with the strong, slightly salty sheep's cheese from the island of Pag. Cultural Background: A simple but revered Dalmatian starter pairing air-dried prosciutto (pršut), cured for months in the bura winds of the […]