The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-04


the refined Romans. 1t was a constituent
of most foods, hat like all the elements oi
a Roman dish, suffered y transformation
whiSh completely disguised it In the fnnl
stage. when il was presented to the consid-
Grafton of the .imporial epicnres. Thin Dis
tiny fragments. tickled the palatas of Ro-
man gentlemen.
Buiwer Lytton has given us quite an i'm
adequate conception of a Roman dinner.
He detailed its sensual pleasures, its strong
appeal to refined sense, but he neglected to
outline it's ~gastronomic aGonies. Fork was
the passion Of the Roman epicures.. The
spit, gridiron. frvfan, oven. boiler and stew
pan were utilized for its preparation. lm-
agine the delioacy Of flavor OF = baked pig.
stuffed with thrushss, beccaficos, dates,
onions. snails, mallows. heets, leeks. celery,
cabbage, coriander seeds, pepper, pine nuts,
eggs and garum. Down the back OK the
porker a great opening was made, and into
it was poured n mixture OF bitter rue, sweet
wine, honey and oil, thickened with iru,
menty. That was n dish which would
throw a Roman into ecstasy. de was z
devotee of sauces and seasonsngs. He had
many condiments, but Rarum was ms IA
vorite. He obtained it from the lntestlnes,
gills and blood of fishes large AKA small,
which were stirred together with salt and ex-
posed to the sun until fermented. wine
and spice herbs we're added. 1t was sAraln-
ed and poured literally on flesh, fish, game,
and fowl. Inferior kinds were prepared Tor
the poor. 1t was priced above all other
sauces. No thought of its lepulsive, naus-
eating ingredients entered the minds OF fas-
baric messes Of fifty homogeneous elements.
in which sweet and sour. hot and colo, sa-
line and mucilaginous compounds entered.
with alarming disregard of subsequent con-
sequences.
The Romans could relish what was of
fnvoyx,n hy,A %1n, ~nuotkoI ornyprnf what v0a /
tough. With pestle, mortar and knife the
Roman chief chopped, diced and dissected
infinitesimally until meats and vegetables
were pounded to a delicate pulp. Haggls,
as the Scotch call it, WAS a favorlte
preparation. 1t was boiled pigs stomach.
and pineapple beaten into a pulp, and
favored with the never absent garum. As
afoetida was no uncomfortable element In
the tiavoring of foods. There were extra
ordinary mixtures of oil and VINE,
honey. pepper and the disgusting dlstllla-
broths, stews and hotch-potches. There
was an extravagant love tor unpalatable
birds of fine plumage. for roasted Holsters,
for s~weetened oysters. A favor1se pastry
was a mixture of rose leaves. we'll beaten,
brain and eggs, mingled with garum' pep
also delicious figs, fresh herbs, a%nchovtes,
nuts. sweetmeats. tarts and c%onfec-
tionery in fantastic fabric. The Romans
had many elements of food which to our
sense are disgusting and nauseating; they
as delicacies those which we feel
blend the taste to the last degree. Yet
hey were courteous, luxurious in judg-
nent and desires. honorable in their rela-
ions. Not least significant in the banquet
Dom of the Romans were those %festoons
If roses which dropped over the gorgeously
ceilings. Very seldom was the
spirit it symbolized violated. No guest
would betray the indiscreet words spoken
under the rose"