Native Name: Gustatio Frigida Cultural Background: Prandium, the Roman midday meal, was usually light and often eaten cold or standing up, made up of leftovers from the night before. A platter of hard-boiled eggs, olives and salted fish was a common prandium in both modest and comfortable households, needing no cooking fire to reheat. Tips: […]
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: Cucumeres cum Melle et Aceto Cultural Background: Pliny the Elder wrote at length about cucumbers, noting that Emperor Tiberius was so fond of them he had them grown year-round in movable frames. Dressed simply with honey and vinegar, this sweet-sour style of dressing was a typical Roman treatment for fresh garden vegetables. Tips: […]
Native Name: Khiar-e Serkeh Cultural Background: Cucumbers grew readily in irrigated Persian gardens, and dressing them simply with vinegar and fresh mint was an easy way to cool a meal during the hot summer months. This kind of light, sharp side dish would have been a natural counterpart to richer roasted or stewed mains. Tips:– […]
Native/Reconstructed Name: Jaadet en Djed (reconstructed; pickled vegetables) Cultural Background: Radishes and cucumbers were grown extensively in the fertile soil of the Nile floodplain, and preserving vegetables in vinegar or brine was a practical way to extend their short shelf life in Egypt's hot climate. Simple pickled vegetables would have accompanied bread and stews as […]
Native/Reconstructed Name: Shesep en Iyet (reconstructed; cucumber and cheese) Cultural Background: Soft fermented cheeses made from goat's or cow's milk were well established in ancient Egypt — remnants of what is considered among the world's oldest known solid cheese were identified in a tomb near Saqqara. Paired with cucumber, abundant along the Nile's fertile banks, […]
Introduction: Ika mata is the best-known dish of the Cook Islands, a Polynesian relative of ceviche where raw fish is 'cooked' in citrus juice before being folded through fresh coconut cream and vegetables. Cultural Background: Ika mata is the best-known dish of the Cook Islands, a Polynesian relative of ceviche where raw fish is 'cooked' […]
Introduction: A refreshing, simply dressed salad served alongside richer dishes such as rukau or umukai, balancing heavier coconut-cream mains with something crisp and cool. Cultural Background: A refreshing, simply dressed salad served alongside richer dishes such as rukau or umukai, balancing heavier coconut-cream mains with something crisp and cool. Tips: Add the coconut just before […]
Introduction: A cool, refreshing salad combining crisp cucumber with fresh grated coconut, brightened with lime, this dish offers a light counterpoint to Comoros' richer coconut-milk stews and spiced rice dishes. Cultural Background: A cool, refreshing salad combining crisp cucumber with fresh grated coconut, brightened with lime, this dish offers a light counterpoint to Comoros' richer […]
Introduction: This Sichuan-style salad gets its name from the technique of smacking cucumbers with the flat of a knife or rolling pin, which cracks the flesh to better absorb the garlicky, vinegar-forward dressing, making it a refreshing starter across northern and western China. Cultural Background: This Sichuan-style salad gets its name from the technique of […]