For the last two years, Fiona and I have been cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for three legions down in Maryland at "Roman Days." 18-20 at a time, with a Dutch oven, a large frying pan, and a two-burner Coleman stove. Very little to wash, and very little "perishables".

Hints:
Oil is always olive oil
All recipes are for 20 servings

Breakfast

Aliter Dolce (Apicius #298)

("another sweet" - we'd call it Gallic toast)

• 2 loaves of bread cut into 10 slices each
• 1 quart milk
• oil for frying
• honey

"In lacte infundis, frigis in oleo, mel superfundis et in feres" or "dip bread in milk, fry in oil, serve with honey poured over". (We like to add a dozen eggs beaten into the milk).

Aliter Breakfast

When soldiers on Hadrian's Wall were being punished, they were forced to eat Barley gruel, like the horses. Oddly enough, it's pretty good.

• ½ box currants
• 1 lb stealcut barley ¹
• 1-2 quarts water
• a little salt if necessary
• optional: currant syrup²

Put currants in a pot, add 1 quart water, bring to a boil, then stir in barley. Cook until done (add syrup and mix well). Serve hot, add honey on top if you wish.

Lunch

Usually an eat-and-run affair; put out large bowls of olives, bread, hard-boiled eggs and sauce, sausages, cheese and dried fruit like dates, prunes and apricots. Also, the Posca and Persian Mint drinks from the May issue of the Mudpuppy.

Dinner

All leftovers from above, plus Polenta and one or all of "side dishes".

Pultes Similam (Apicius #180)

• ½ box Farina
• water³ and salt as directed on box
• olive oil instead of butter
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ lb+ roast pork, Canadian bacon, or canned chicken⁴

Make the farina as per box directions, using water or broth (broth is better). When almost done, add the meat, chopped small. Serve hot.

Aliter Puls - Pultes Merlinia (after Apicius & Cato)

• ½ box Farina
• 1 ½ cups chopped/grated cheese⁵
• water and salt as directed on box
• olive oil instead of butter
• 1 tsp. ground pepper

Make farina as per box. When it is done, add the cheeses, and mix gently. Serve hot.

Or make a mold:

• olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• extra polenta

Oil a bowl, place the bay leaves in the bottom, spoon in polenta and pack tightly. Leave sit, covered with a cloth, until cold. Unmold onto a plate. Slice and serve. Dip in olive oil⁶ or Worcester Sauce⁷. (Can also fry, drizzle with honey). A slice of hard-boiled egg on top is nice.

Additions:

Mushrooms over Hot Polenta (in Fungis Ferneis Ap #311)

• 2 lb total weight canned mushrooms (stems and pieces)
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• pepper to taste
• dash Worcester sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Flour

Drain mushrooms, save juice. Mix oil and flour and Worcester sauce. Heat in a frying pan (Roux). Add the mushroom liquor and wine, and cook slowly until thickened and reduced. Add the mushrooms and stir gently to heat. On each serving of Polenta, make a well and add mushroom mix (like gravy on mashed potatoes).

Betas Elixas (Ap. #98)

• 5 large cans sliced beets, drained, hot or cold
• ¼ cup prepared mustard
• ½ cup oil
• ¼ cup vinegar

Mix mustard, oil and vinegar, pour over beets and stir.

In Ovis Hapalis (Ap. #328)

Sauce for (boiled) eggs (MAKE AT HOME)

• 2 dozen eggs
• 1 cup pine nuts (1 lb.)
• ½ cup wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• pepper and loveage - 1 lb. total

Soak the pine nuts in vinegar ahead of time, then mix them, honey, pepper and loveage in a blender. Cut hardboiled eggs in half longways, put a little sauce on each, or leave out the jar and a spoon for each to help themselves. This sauce is good on everything⁸.

Have fun! Take heads!

Footnotes:

^1. Steelcut barley - it looks like steelcut oats, but is barley. Find it in Healthfood stores and Polish/Eastern European markets.

^2. Currant syrup - "Ribina" is common, also check Polish/Eastern European shops for syrups. Can also use apple juice concentrate, easily available.

^3. Original recipe calls for pork or chicken broth.

^4. Romans thought beef was lowest form of food, pork was best, and chicken second.

^5. Cheeses - I've used grated Parmesan, Romano, and chopped Provolone and Mozzarella. Use two or three in combination.

^6. For dipping always use Virgin or Extra Virgin. For regular cooking, regular olive oil.

^7. Worcestershire sauce is a fruity, anchovy-based sauce which is easy to get. Can also use "Luc Mon" found at Asian stores, or Anchovy paste.

^8. It really is. Make double what you think you need, and put it on salad: "lettuce once closed the dinners of our ancestors; tell me, why today does it open ours?" (Martial 13,14)