[Sca-cooks] Italian fish in oil spreads

[Elaine Koogler]

Actually, there is an olive spread (sans the fish) in "A Taste of Ancient Rome",
cited as Cato 119.  It was called "Epityrum" :

"Make green, black, or varicolored epityrum in this way. Pit the green, black, or
varicolored olives. Season them thus: Chop them, and add oil, vinegar, coriander,
cumin, fennel, rue, and mint. Put them in a small jar, with oil on top and they are
ready to use."

Other information in "A Taste of Rome" about this included:

"Greeks and Romans at this with cheese, whence the derivation of its name (epityrum
= over cheese). Varro (De lingua latina 7, 86) described it as a Greek recipe, and
Columella (12,49,9) suggested that the olives be seasoned with salt, lentiscus, rue
and fennel.

Kiri




Philip & Susan Troy wrote:

> Stefan li Rous wrote:
> > > Possibly, though Italian spreads traditionally
> > > included fish in oil rather than fresh when served
> > > with bread (I have evidence for this,
> > > unfortunately, only for the 2nd and 18th century
> > > CE, not for the sixteenth, but personal experience
> > > strongly suggests it's better that way).
> <snip>
> > Does anyone have some period recipes for these Italian, fish in oil,
> > spreads? Are these just mushed up fish in oil spread on bread? This
> > sounds like it could be a wonderful alternative to the honey-butter
> > and bread stuff.
>
> Note that Giano said "included" fish in oil, not "were made from", etc.
> I suspect what we're talking about is something like tapenade, which
> does usually include both tuna either in brine or in oil, and anchovies
> either salted and/or in oil, in addition to garlic (lots), pitted black
> olives (essential), capers, fresh herbs, and perhaps a squeeze of orange juice.
>
> Now all we have to do is document such a product as a spread ;  ) .
>
> Adamantius, who has seen tapenade used in many ways, but only rarely as
> a spread
> --
> Phil & Susan Troy
>
> troy at asan.com
>
> "It was so blatant that Roger threw at him.  Clemens gets away with
> things that get other people thrown out of games.  As long as they
> let him get away with it, it's going  to continue." -- Joe Torre, 9/98
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