SC - RE: Meat -- Roman roasted meat

[Peters, Rise J.]

Nick Sasso (fra niccolo) wrote:

> The original title, quoted from the above text, is _Artis Magiricae_.
> Indeed credited to Apicius and speculatively so.  There is a fine
> treatment on the Apicius text called _A Taste of Ancient Rome_ by Ilaria
> Gozzini Giacosa (translated by Anna Herklotz).  It is a useful mix  of
> translation, commentary, and redaction.  The redactions are well
> explained and seem to make sense, a feat in itself.  There are also
> sections on Banquets, menus, beverages, and food sources.  I have found
> it a useful source for 'Apician' cookery.

You're right about the title; it does appear that way in one of the
manuscripts, and is in an odd place in the Flower/Rosenbaum text, so I
had to look through the Introduction to find it. Apparently the earliest
manuscript known gives the name of another author (perhaps a
scribe/editor?) but says this is Apicius' book, hence the confusion as
to whether Apicius (whoever he may have been) actually wrote it. "De Re
Quoquinaria" is the title of one of the manuscript sources, though.
Sorry to write down the first one I came to, though, which might have
misled some folks. 

> As does Giacosa.  Both are good  references on the same primary (?)
> text.  I am still in quest of other Roman quisine treatments.  I've
> found a couple ancient Greek books that I am reviewing, but thise won't
> be quite the same (though there will be some similarity).  I'll post my
> findings when I'm finished reading them.

I met a man who is active in the Culinary Historians of New York who
referred obliquely to some Byzantine source; I'll have to get more
information from him. I don't believe he was talking about the
physician's letter that I believe His Grace Cariadoc was speaking of...
 
> > I just happened to run acros an Asian market
> > that sells little plastic trays of duck and goose tongues, not to mention
> > various other unmentionables. We're a pretty adventurous bunch where I
> > live, so who knows?

>   But just who would be tasting whom?!

Obviously I, having no taste, would be tasting -- waitaminnit -- hmmm.
I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Adamantius