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If you keep up to date with our blog posts, a name you might recognise is Ursula Janssen, culinary historian and archaeologist. Now and again, Ursula shares her fantastic ancient recipes with us, and we are delighted to share the news that she has just released a cookbook, GARUM: Recipes from the Past.
The official press release for Ursula's wonderful new book reads:
In this richly illustrated cookbook, archaeologist and culinary historian Ursula Janssen presents a selection of historical recipes from Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Rome, the Middle Eastern and European Middle Ages and the Renaissance that are adapted to contemporary cooking and can be reproduced in a normal household kitchen, with available ingredients.
The broad time frame chosen for this book allows a glimpse of traditions, transitions as well as innovations in historical cooking. The concepts of food change in each of the periods described here: What was considered good food? Which tastes and which cooking methods were appreciated? What did a cook have to do to be appreciated as a master chef? And, which eating habits were considered healthy?
The reader will see that throughout history some of the answers to these questions differ vastly from our beliefs. Nevertheless, it is completely possible to recreate historical dishes at your home, to incorporate them into your everyday cooking, or even to organise a lavish theme party while at the same time return to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Internationally renowned photographer Manoocher Deghati took the photographs and each recipe is accompanied by a photo. Manoocher Deghati has been photographing news and other stories around the globe since 1978 for major international agencies and magazines. He worked for publications such as: Time, Life, Newsweek, GEO, and National Geographic.
Dr. Ursula Janssen is an archaeologist and culinary historian. After spending several years living and working in various countries in Africa and the Middle East, she now lives with her family on their small subsistence farm “Trullo Cicerone“ in Puglia, Southern Italy, where they produce most of their food.
GARUM, named after the famous ancient Roman fish condiment, has 211 pages and is available online at Amazon. To purchase a copy, click here.
