Silphium (also known as silphion, laserwort, or laser) is an unidentified plant that was used in classical antiquity as a seasoning, perfume, aphrodisiac, and medicine. It also was used as a contraceptive by ancient Greeks and Romans. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city of Cyrene, and was so critical to the Cyrenian economy that most of their coins bore a picture of the plant. The valuable product was the plant's resin (laser, laserpicium, or lasar… WebSpice trade anyone? If anything, Asian cuisines were the ones which preserved food traditions mostly abandoned in the West. For example, there's an herb called asafoetida widely used in Indian food which is said to taste like an extinct Roman herb called silphium.
The mystery of the lost Roman herb - BBC Future
WebThe Romans also spiced their wine -- it was common to bring your own spice packets to dinner with your particular blend -- and they also clarified wine with nasty ingredients such as lead, charcoal and sea water. WebThe Roman cookbook Apicius, now thought to date from the late 4 th or early 5 th century, famously contains a recipe for stuffed dormouse, which I reproduce below: Apicius, De opsoniis et condimentis (Amsterdam: J. Waesbergios), 1709. Frontispiece of the second edition of Martin Lister’s privately printed version of Apicius. starry log cabin quilt pattern free
Silphium, The Ancient
WebSilphium grew only in eastern Libya and was popular in Greece and Rome until the first century CE, when it was believed to have become extinct. Roman cooks then turned to asafoetida as a substitute. To find the spice in Cairo, I headed to the well-known Harraz Herb Shop near bustling Bab al-Khalq square. WebJul 10, 2024 · “One ancient contraceptive might have been so effective that it became extinct. This is believed to have happened to silphium (a species of giant fennel, Ferula), which was widely used as an oral contraceptive … WebSep 9, 2024 · The ancient Romans put it in everything including their deserts. Garlic was not used for cooking (only for medicinal use). Popular spices included ginger, cloves, … starry love ep 15