Roman Gustatio: What they ate as an appetizer in Ancient Rome

The Roman gustatio was the first stage of a banquet in Ancient Rome—an appetizer served before the main course, the prima mensa. The dishes that made up the gustatio were not meant to be consumed in large quantities. In fact, we still follow this tradition today with our modern appetizers or “pica-pica” before the main meal. Here, one could find olives, cheese, egg-based dishes, dressed lettuce, nuts, or salted fish, depending on how luxurious the dinner was.

In this first part of the meal, it was almost mandatory to serve a sweet wine seasoned with honey known as mulsum. The honey was boiled and mixed with wine, which could vary in quantity depending on the taste of the person making the mixture. However, the Conditum Paradoxum recipe found in De Re Coquinaria is somewhat more refined and includes other ingredients such as pepper, bay leaf, or saffron.

Thus, the gustatio served the same social function as our current appetizers: starting the dinner by chatting over a drink and whetting the appetite for what is to come.

Note: Sometimes Gustatio and Promulsis were used as synonyms, but “gustatio” refers to the entire first part of the dinner, while “promulsis” refers to the appetizers themselves.

Our Gustatio

The gustatio I have prepared is a combination of simple starters. Although some Roman appetizers could be true displays of luxury, here we approach something more sober and everyday.

I have included:

• Olives
• Walnuts
• Assorted cheeses
• Lettuce hearts with anchovies dressed with a honey and pepper sauce.
• Ova Elixa: A recipe based on eggs adapted from De Re Coquinaria.
• Rustic bread.

Lettuce Hearts with Anchovies and Honey-Pepper Sauce

These lettuce hearts could have been part of a gustatio, as dressed lettuce or endive dishes were common in this first part of the banquet. Instead of serving the salted fish separately, I include it in the sauce mixture.

Regarding the recipe I am using, the only ingredient somewhat out of place is lemon. Although lemons were known to the Romans (their entry into Europe from Asia is dated to the 1st century BC), they were used more for medicinal and hygiene purposes than culinary ones. It was a rare tree, not planted for consumption but as a luxury item.

In De Re Coquinaria, lemon is mentioned in the “Rose wine without roses recipe” and in “How to preserve lemons,” which confirms the above. The first would be a medicinal recipe, and the second explains how to preserve the fruit. In reality, to make this recipe authentic to the Roman era, we would swap the lemon for vinegar. But I am taking that creative license.

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 2 large lettuce hearts
• 1 can of anchovies
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of honey*
• Salt and pepper to taste

*Instead of honey, I used Olimel, a blend of extra virgin olive oil and honey. The intention is to give the sauce less sweetness. If you want it less sweet using regular honey, just use 1/2 tablespoon.

Preparation: Open the lettuce hearts, mix the anchovies, lemon, honey, salt, and pepper, and dress them with this mixture.

Ova Elixa (Seasoned Boiled Eggs)

This recipe is found in Book VII of the famous Roman cookbook De Re Coquinaria.

Liquamen was essentially the same as garum but more diluted and with a shorter fermentation process. It was also made with lower-quality fish. In this recipe, we will substitute it with flaked sea salt.

As for laser, it was extracted from the root and stems of silphium, a plant extinct since the 1st century AD. Silphium had a distinctive flavor and aroma used as a spice and for medicinal properties. Its early extinction has left a certain mystery surrounding its exact characteristics. Since it is extinct, I have opted to substitute it with the mild flavor of parsley, widely used in antiquity.

Ingredients:

• 4 Eggs
• Flaked sea salt
• Ground pepper
• Half a small glass of extra virgin olive oil
• Approx. 5 cl of white wine
• A couple of sprigs of fresh chopped parsley

Preparation: Boil the eggs and let them cool. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, white wine, and parsley in a bowl. Cook slightly until the sauce starts to boil. Pour the hot sauce over the eggs and serve.

Now all that’s left is to prepare the olives, walnuts, the cheese platter, and some good rustic bread.

Bene Sapiat! (Enjoy your meal!)