Ancient Roman Honeyed Pork

[@TastingHistory]

Has anyone else read The Satyricon? If not, it's worth your time, I promise.

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

Is there a movie version? I’d watch that. Or We can rewatch My Fair Lady or Pretty Woman

[@jopiagalis]

after a quick wikipedia search, it certainly sounds like an interesting read!

[@holdenringle3615]

It's interesting, but I read it in Latin class after the Metamorphoses. I haven't quite forgiven it for the whiplash

[@bananatree5208]

can we get more rome pls?

[@rayshualothtonne9996]

I'll have to check it out. Fun fact: There's a band called that too.

[@MrWannabemonkey]

The roman version of "How to cook fancy food": 1) Get a big animal 2) stuff it with a smaller animal 3) Honey

[@filthycasual8074]

medical style

[@bobdowling6932]

4) And garum.

[@Apple_Apporu]

@@bobdowling6932 yup dont forget the Garum

[@patavinity1262]

And pepper. Pepper was much fancier than honey.

[@57thorns]

We have that traditional Bedouin wedding feast Whole stuffed camel: Egss inside fish inside chicken inside sheep inside a camel. True or not, is is an impressive idea.

[@jopiagalis]

Came for the recipe, stayed for the roman and us ounce comparisons

[@TastingHistory]

Who doesn’t like some weights and measures talk! I know how to party.

[@tomypreach]

Came for the same thing. Paused as the imperial system was mentioned, pressed play after a Google search 😔

[@feraligatorade99]

@@TastingHistory the origins of the lb denotation was really cool, I've never even thought about why that means pound.

[@kaltaron1284]

@@TastingHistory This video is about money but I still love it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIq4naSAZ9Ktf7s

[@mnels5214]

@@feraligatorade99 Same here! It was really cool.

[@大銀河帝国の皇帝]

"If you were poor and spend the days sleeping and the nights partying, you were lazy and debauched. But if you were rich and did the exact same thing, you were merely extravagant." Well, some things never change I guess.

[@sharayejenkins5743]

I'm a natural born night owl. I choose to believe I'm from aristocracy! 🤣 Although all the rules for the women would have driven me mad! I'm not sure which life would have been better for my personality. I don't mind hard work, I do mind rude bosses.

[@ruthanneluvsvacuuming6653]

So true 😂

[@Ashannon888]

I'm glad you chose the "pissing in public, not really washing his hands and wiping them off on the servant boy" part to talk about how Trimalchio acted. Really sums up just how crude he was in a comedic way.

[@Serai3]

Everything about the guy screams NOUVEAU RICHE HERE.

[@StonedtotheBones13]

I was wondering if ppl just peed in front of others tbh

[@SailingKaiser]

Max, I am a sailor by trade, and I sent this video to our cook 3 months ago, and he made it for us on the last week of the previous trip. This was absolutely amazing. I'm gonna have to find another video to send him.

[@asdfasdf-dg2qx]

You becoming a full time youtuber is the first good thing that has happened in 2021 max

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 🙏

[@ValeriePallaoro]

Calling this year '2021 max' is right up there though.

[@deniaridley]

@@ValeriePallaoro 😂

[@ofallmyintention9496]

@@TastingHistory Yes, indeed. I love history, and this is a very unique history channel :)

[@procrastinator99]

FACTS!

[@leademi1387]

I feel so dumb for just now realizing that each episode of Rome month was a meal course- drink, appetizer, meal and then ending with desert. Very clever!

[@davidec.4021]

Oh wow! I didn’t realise it until you pointed that out! Very nice

[@kelseyroberts6110]

In 2021 Trimalchio would be one of those lifestyle vloggers who would put out a 43-minute house tour/flex video and then wonder why his house got broken into the next day, change my mind.

[@Gemmabeta]

Fun fact, the Working Title for The Great Gatsby was "Trimalchio in West Egg."

[@TheRealNormanBates]

I would ask you what the inspiration for your avatar is.... but I think you would say “that’s top secret”

[@kelseyroberts6110]

@@Gemmabeta As an English teacher, that’s just about the most F. Scott Fitzgerald thing I’ve ever heard 😂

[@nicolasnamed]

@@Gemmabeta that's super cool! I love The Great Gatsby, and it gives me some more insight into the story :D

[@kanedamikami7771]

Also would probably be vegan.

[@MrChrisPietrzak]

"Hens don't make milk." As a fun fact, that's a metaphor with ancient Greek origins! Aristophanes used "the milk of birds" in some of his plays as a metaphor for something extremely rare. I found out about this because there's a Polish candy called "ptasie mleczko," literally meaning "bird milk." There's also a similar phrase in English, where something might be described "as rare as hen's teeth."

[@HobbesTWC]

in Greece you can refer to a store or a table as "even having bird's milk" in order to convey that it has everything one can imagine. I don't know if the phrase survived from ancient times, or if we resurrected it/borrowed it, but still pretty cool to see such an old phrase being used in this day.

[@Nerdsammich]

I'm just glad it wasn't rooster milk.

[@redwingrob1036]

NOT so rare. PIGEONS feed their cobs 'chicks' on pigeon milk, but it's not breast milk.

[@pompe221]

There is such a thing as "crop milk" but it's not "real" milk since y'know, lack of mammary glands.

[@peterzarelli1432]

I always thought bird milk referred to their poop.

[@davidmcdavidson999]

Fun Fact: F. Scott Fitzgerald really really really wanted to call "The Great Gatsby" "The American Trimalchio," even though nobody but him and his friends knew about this book. Zelda and his publisher convinced him otherwise, but he spent the rest of his life feeling like he picked the wrong title.

[@crystalwolcott4744]

Why do I feel like I just understood The Great Gatsby for the first time? Wild.

[@FritzMonorail]

@@crystalwolcott4744 That's such a good title. I kind of wish that's what it was called.

[@Belleplainer]

A little too on-the-nose for my taste.

[@dstinnettmusic]

He truly was, the Greatest Gatsby

[@boarpsimson8675]

Another piece of media saved from being called "American [thing]". Thank goodness

[@katherineholmes698]

"Hens don't make milk." That look and sip was perfection.

[@duckpuncher4203]

Well pidgeons do..... kinda

[@kimchiteagames]

@@duckpuncher4203 I'm imagining someone trolling a bunch of rich snobs by convincing them pigeon vomit is a rare and expensive delicacy and it's equal parts funny and gross D=

[@Grams0ren]

@@kimchiteagames well soup of barn swallow's nest is a thing. And those nests are made of saliva... (edit swift not barn swallow)

[@DonnaBarrHerself]

@@kimchiteagames Technically not vomit?

[@kimchiteagames]

@@DonnaBarrHerself True, close enough to trigger my mild emetophobia though.

[@brucetidwell7715]

Today black pepper is just about the most humble spice but back then, when it was sold by the pepper corn, the stronger the pepper taste the more impressive the dish. "There was enough pepper in the stuffing to almost make you choke. Zeus only knows what that cost!"

[@Jackalgirl]

I was thinking the same thing: that at the time, pepper would probably have been horrendously expensive (not sure if the Romans had to get theirs -- indirectly -- from the Spice Islands also), so that's why its measurement is so specific while everything else is "whatever you normally do with these more easily acquired and probably more frequently used ingredients".

[@kanedamikami7771]

Reminds me of pepper cake that May as Well be made 100% of pepper.

[@galadrieltree]

In historic recipes, you can bet that if they mention how much of something to use, it was PRICEY! You are spot on here.

[@Foxxie0kun]

@@galadrieltree Exact measurements were as much to preserve your finances as it was to prepare the food properly it seems.

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

@@Jackalgirl this makes so much sense

[@davidhalldurham]

"While the industry of others may raise one to greatness, Petronius had idled into fame." What a GREAT line!

[@RonJohn63]

Sounds like Kim Kardashian...

[@richardirvine1997]

@@RonJohn63 Brilliant. Same final uselessness as well.

[@Welgeldiguniekalias]

Much more descriptive than "socialite".

[@mercenarygundam1487]

AKA TF2 idlers.

[@kayfrenly5460]

This is Black history.

[@neon-heart]

My husband calls you "The Handsome History Guy" every time he sees me watching your videos hehe

[@omw2fyb42]

As a straight man, I can confirm max is a handsome bugger.

[@everythingsalright1121]

Well he DID play prince charming for disney

[@BigBadGato]

He looks pretty jacked too, Max is no stranger to the gym 🏋️‍♂️

[@psychosoma5049]

He is a bit of a stunner 😍

[@siyacer]

@@omw2fyb42 what does you being straight have to do with anything

[@NotTheNebraskaMan]

Quitting Disney and doing this full time was no doubt a smart move. You are a natural and deserve your own show. Well spoken, great humor, fantastic chef, move star good looks. It's great to have seen the growth of the channel! Keep up the great work.

[@HeyNonyNonymous]

Being Max's friend or neighbour must be a real treat: *knock on the door* - Who is it, honey? - Oh, it's Max. With a whole roast pig. - Ah, Rome month again, is it? Guess we'll cancel our dinner plans, then. - It's a good thing, too. I forgot to defrost the chicken.

[@00fgytduydrtu]

Hello Max ! I am from Greece, the phrase at 10:20 still exists in modern day Greek, in the form of ''Και του πουλιού του γάλα'' or ''even bird's milk''. It bassicly means that there is such a huge array of stuff/food in a place, so this phrase used in the anecdote probably is a translated version of that from Greek.

[@kcirbfilms]

Considering Roman aristocrats often spoke Greek, and that Greek hasn’t changed very much throughout history, they probably said it very similarly to the modern Greek phrase. Very cool!

[@LynnHermione]

Kai ton polion ton gala is how its read?

[@roobthenoob6607]

Sounds like a Greek "everything but the kitchen sink."

[@huhusmremre]

we have that saying in Poland too, and a dessert dish named after it as well. Future episode maybe? 😛

[@davidmiller9485]

Uh No you are wrong. Here are some recipes for "Hen's Milk" : www.theoldfoodie.com/2012/03/hens-milk.html

[@coleblack784]

The only complaint I have about this channel is simple: it's too damned good. I have to drop everything whenever a new video comes out, so I can watch it the moment I realize it's out.

[@WaterfaerysDomain]

You and me both!

[@TastingHistory]

I will try to lower my standards 🤣

[@coleblack784]

@@TastingHistory when the pandemic is fully over, I would be over the moon to be invited to a dinner party hosted by you! Love your work Max!

[@mimilune2746]

Same

[@treyowen9213]

@@coleblack784 same here. I would not mind attending his dinner parties and helping him.

[@thelightgeektastic]

Fun fact: one of the early versions of The Great Gatsby was titled "Trimalchio". Which, I mean, it fits.

[@frank_87it]

So, basically, a guy who lives an ocean away is teaching me more about the people who lived where i live now 3000 years ago. That's why love KZbin.

[@DunlopPride]

I think my new goal in life is to have someone describe my dinner party as "distastefully extravagant"

[@Gemmabeta]

The Wikipedia article for the Roman Toga described it as best suited for occasions of "displaying oneself before one's peers and inferiors while ostentatiously doing nothing."

[@DunlopPride]

@@Gemmabeta okay that also sounds ideal lol

[@1984Cope]

Invite me, here's my card. "proceeds to hand you a cupped fart"

[@AngharadMac]

Yes! Goals for real

[@channelinikhususbuatliator81]

Or 'extravagantly distasteful'.

[@cotz5461]

I like how you are focusing on this channel rather than going back to Disney. Thanks buddy . PS: I like your little table behind you. You always change it up. Very unique

[@TastingHistory]

Tasting History all the way : ).

[@jacobp.4593]

@@TastingHistory You are your own boss, which I am pretty sure everyone can agree is the best possible outcome for anyone in the workforce. Good job!

[@kaltaron1284]

I didn't even realize he had a former connection to Disney. Found this channel through the magic of the algorithm and other historical channel. Glad I did.

[@deniaridley]

@@kaltaron1284 I just learned he worked with Disney too. But in retrospect, it makes sense. I can see a polished performer/speaker who's seen a lot of professional productions. I just assumed he'd had a performance background.

[@Lauren.E.O]

Ancient Roman emperors wish their recipes could be as extra as medieval kings Emperors: Behold, this noble swine- Kings: MINE HAS WINGS! Emperors: ...show off

[@TastingHistory]

😂 it’s true

[@kaltaron1284]

@@TastingHistory Do you know a creature called Wolpertinger? It's like someone had animal parts leftover.

[@KenoshiAkai]

@@AxxLAfriku You should abandon all technology and live in a monastery.

[@Haslerka1251]

For me the lactating chicken takes the cake. That is flex on flex.

[@caro1ns]

@@kaltaron1284 Googling... wow.

[@sholbk]

I am so happy you chose Tasting History over Disney. I love these videos. You combine two of my favorite things, cooking and history.

[@pocketheart1450]

I am new to the channel, what do you mean?

[@sholbk]

@@pocketheart1450 Max has a video where he was offered a job at Disney and he decided to keep doing Tasting History. As a Tasting History fan, I think he made the right choice.

[@theAverageJoe25]

@@sholbkhe wasn’t offered the job at Disney he was already employed by them for years, due to the Covid pandemic he was furloughed and started the channel, when Disney ended the furlough he decided not to go back and do this full time

[@justchevrotainrating]

"and that's why we use lb for pounds" earned you a like, max.

[@justanotherhuman6532]

An intellectual came to check in on a friend who was seriously ill. When the man’s wife said that he had ‘departed’, the intellectual replied: “When he arrives back, will you tell him that I stopped by?” - Ancient Roman Joke

[@hjalfi]

A barber, a bald man, and a scholar are going on a journey together, and one night they take turns to watch the baggage. The bald man goes first, and nothing happens. Then it's the barber's turn. Still, nothing happens, and he's so bored that he shaves the scholar's head. Finally, it's the scholar's turn. He wakes up, feels his head, and says, "That idiot barber! He's woken up the bald man instead of me." - Another Roman Joke

[@kaltaron1284]

This works in many languages as most people prefer to use euphemisms. Just takes one person to take them literally.

[@longyu9336]

@@hjalfi Another Roman Joke: *Germania*

[@rcrawford42]

A taciturn old man went to a barber known for being talkative. The barber asked: "How would you like your hair cut today?" The man: "In silence!"

[@melissamarsh2219]

A man visited the house of a friend who was surprised to see him. “I heard that you’d died!” “You can see that I haven’t!” said the man. “But the person who told me was more reliable than you!”

[@Helgatwb]

So tracta is pasta. All the pasta I buy is just semolina, durum, and water. "When a rich man doesn't want to work, he's a bon vivant, yes, he's a bon vivant. But, when a poor man doesn't want to work..."

[@lkrnpk]

then he's a bum vivant

[@Smallpotato1965]

He's a loafer, he's a lazy good-for-nothing, he's a jerk

[@marthahawkinson-michau9611]

That’s what I was thinking about the tracta. I’ve made enough fresh pasta at this point to spot a pasta recipe when I see one. Semolina? Check. Durum flour? Check. Water to make paste? Check. Rolled into flat sheets? Check. Dried? Check. I see all of the essential elements of an early pasta recipe.

[@tomf3150]

Then he's a debauché, which literally means unemployed in french.

[@revgeorge1977]

I was about to make the same comment. Tracta is basically crushed lasagna noodles. Do we know if it was ever boiled and served with oil/butter/cheese?

[@petergray2712]

In case you're wondering: there are 64 known species of the grain bearing grass known as "wheat". They're all descended from the same ancestor in the Karcadag Mountains in SE Turkey. The main difference between species is the number of chromosome sets they possess: -Einkhorn Wheat is closest to Wild Wheat and is diploid, meaning it has the two sets of seven chromosomes. Eikhorn (German for "One Grain") flour does not rise, and the plant is noteworthy for its ability to grow in mountainous soils.Its also the first wild plant to be domesticated by Humans, around 10,900 to 9600 years ago. -Emmer Wheat (which Max used for Egyptian nread) is tetraploid (four sets or 28 chromosomes). Emmer (German for "starchy") has similar attributes to Eikhorn in lack of rising and ability to grow in poor soils. Emmer is the second oldest domesticated plant, with cultivation beginning around 10,200 to 9100 years ago. -Durum (used in this episode) is also tetraploid, but has different chromosomes than Emmer. Durum is drought resistant, and in Roman times grew in the Nile Delta of Egypt, which was the primary breadbasket of the empire. Durum is still the primary wheat grown in the Middle East/Levant. -Common Wheat is allohexaploid. It has six sets of chromosomes (42 total), and the "allo" refers to the fact that two sets each are borrowed from other closely related grass species. -Einkhorn and Emmer are two of the Eight Founders, the eight oldest plants domesticated by Humanity (the others are Barley, Lentils, Peas, Chickpeas, Bitter Vetch and Flax.) Edit: Spelling

[@ragnkja]

And in past eras, they used mixes of different wheats in their fields as a way to insure a sufficient crop every year (or as near as they could manage). Similarly, crops that may give a bumper harvest but may also fail spectacularly were not favoured. Instead they focused on the varieties that would ensure the best yield if it turned out to be a bad year.

[@eileenw6002]

That was very interesting. Thank you 👍🏼

[@daxxydog5777]

And the modern stuff with the many more chromosomes is why modern wheat is so much worse than the wheat our grandparents ate prior to the 1960s.

[@esperantoviro]

The word is "Einkorn", not "Eikhorn"

[@Lucius1958]

@@esperantoviro Perhaps confusing it with "Eichhörnchen", which in German means "squirrel"?

[@jamiemason2003]

Hi, Max. Dormouse is illegal to eat in Italy nowadays because it's an endangered species but it's still legal to eat in Slovenia (and I think Croatia?). I'm not sure if it's possible to import it from Slovenia, where it's called "polh," but it may be something to look into, if you're particularly dedicated to making an ancient recipe that calls for dormouse. If you aren't able to get your hands on it, I've been told by a few Slovenians that it's similar to squirrel meat so, you might be able use squirrel as a substitute. Happy cooking! I love your series. 💜

[@nutcaseina.nutshell8294]

I think the stuffing was more 'chewy' than bread stuffing because it contained semolina, which is used for making pasta. The tracta was more like broken-up pasta dough than bread, so maybe it also had the texture of pasta.

[@kimquinn7728]

"....and dried them on a boys head." How you recite this without bursting into disgusted hilarity I don't understand! I am dying as you recite it!🤣

[@Serai3]

I totally expected some snark about how clean the boy's head was. :D

[@camilledvorak7151]

Were this not a family friendly channel,I'm sure there would be comments on which head, but it is, so that would be rude.

[@Antaios632]

Congratulations on not saying "pig-fecker." Although "fig pecker" sounds almost as naughty. 😂

[@mirandamom1346]

My brain lingered on that one.

[@frigginjerk]

"Fig pecker" sounds like a dessert item you might find at a bachelorette party. Like a Fig Newton, but in a much more distinct shape.

[@Neufutur]

@@frigginjerk Max's outtakes: "Figs don't have peckers?!"

[@odinfromcentr2]

Not gonna lie, I laughed myself into a coughing fit! 🤣

[@junietwoknees]

fig pecker was a specific songbird in Rome. I don't remember which.

[@floramew]

I love when sponsors are actually related to the show they're sponsoring.

[@ericthompson3982]

Max, this is the incredibly nerdy Masterpiece Theater of KZbin food channels. I cannot express how much I love it.

[@themini_b]

Max, I absolutely love that your "background pokemon" is ALWAYS topical to what you are cooking.

[@Izbiski_]

The Grumpig in the background is enough to make me smile

[@brissygirl4997]

I was wondering what critter was behind him this week.

[@MrRebelMan360]

One of the first words learned in my high school Latin class was the word for doormouse. It is a shockingly prestigious animal despite being a rodent.

[@naamadossantossilva4736]

It is still called edible today.

[@DdraigGoch56]

It is also a legally Protected Species in the UK

[@Serai3]

"...despite being a rodent." Capybaras: HEY! We resent that!!

[@halalnoob5766]

Remi's ancestors

[@federicocensuales2767]

Musculus

[@CyrusBluebird]

If you want to make dormice dishes, I suggest arranging to film in Slovenia. We still have them as a delicacy first and pelts second. The pelts are used to make warm hats.

[@cerberaodollam]

hey neighbor. i didn't know that. thanks for the info. a curious Hungarian

[@alfulton5946]

Really they use doormouse pelts i wouldn't want that tanning job.

[@nebufabu]

​@Mel Hawk Although most are, as the name suggests mouse-like in size, the edible dormouse, _Glis glis,_ is roughly squirrel-sized and Romans actually farmed and fattened theirs.

[@blahthebiste7924]

@@nebufabu I make a *mean* weed-rat stew

[@panq8904]

@@nebufabu That's crazy, i'd be curious to know the difference in nutrients and taste between Dormouse farmed for human consumption and, lets say, the mice farmed here to feed carnivorous animals.

[@Capricorn228]

Romans used long pepper instead of the regular and now more common black pepper corns we are so used to. The pepper presents a bit of a bite and can be a lot more savoury than its black peppercorn counterpart. It's a slow burn but it makes for some wonderful flavour to your food.

[@ragnkja]

Not necessarily “instead of”, but more “as well as”. They also had _Piper cubeba._

[@bigfatchubbybritboy9445]

The Romans also had access to white and green pepper(corns) too.

[@leongolgo9950]

"Soakin' the groats" needs to be a euphemism for something.

[@murrrhasaburrinherfur237]

You got a dirty mind, lol. If it doesn't exist you could start it. Like in, "that babe really soaked my groats!"

[@blitsriderfield4099]

I love the emphasis on, "and maybe I won't"

[@castironchaos]

Thank goodness "Tracta" is sheets of dried dough. I was fully expecting "tracta" to be tracts of the pig, such as the esophagus, trachea, intestines or even...urinary.

[@TastingHistory]

Eeek 😦

[@runsyi]

Me too.

[@amsteensberg1653]

And we would not have been surprised If it was 😁

[@C-Henry]

Is it wrong that I want Age of Empires to sponsor this guy next? We've gotten so much good content out of Rome alone, imagine what we could get with a dozen more. Also, Townsend's has a Cod's Head recipe for you...

[@elleanastasiou3599]

I have an answer for your peppery aggravation. Peppercorn was an extremely expensive ingredient prior to the export of chili from the West Indies post Columbus. The remainder of the ingredients in this recipe were less expensive, and also more accessible, and hence, less specific. (PS - Gastropod did a recent episode on this!)

[@ragnkja]

Just use an ounce of pepper per suckling pig (the other “just for special occasions” ingredient in this recipe), and proportion the rest of the ingredients accordingly.

[@thanoseid2883]

@@ragnkja that would explain the specific amount of pepper.

[@chrisforsyth8323]

Exactly. Pepper was the only luxury import in this recipe. While it would become more accessible as Egypt was more firmly integrated in the Imperial Roman world (and the spice fleets became consistent yearly endeavors), in Tiberius' day it would still have been very dear. In fact a full ounce of piperum niger in this dish would have been a statement of power, wealth, and access.

[@riheg]

To get even closer I suggest using Iberico pork (expensive and hard to get though). It’s the closest relative of the roman pork as far as I know. Very different from regular pork and I love the intense flavor and the fat is healthy due to the acorn feed. Or Wild boar because the meat quality is still much closer to roman.

[@kekw6087]

I'm doing an essay when discord pings and saw a new video. "Imma relax for a bit," I said to myself.

[@TastingHistory]

Okay, but back to work when you’re done 🤣

[@Lavendarsblue]

@@TastingHistory I feel called out...

[@TastingHistory]

@@Lavendarsblue this is a safe space 🤣

[@eabt]

Re: "Hen's milk" - in French, egg nog is called "lait de poule" (milk of a chicken).

[@TastingHistory]

It meant something very rare in ancient times. I wonder if French egg nog is rare 😁

[@eabt]

@@TastingHistory Oh, I'm not suggesting egg nog is what he meant. I just find it amusing. And it would make a decent (over the top, rich, slightly vulgar) stand-in, if you wanted to attempt the actual feast as described.

[@TastingHistory]

@@eabt I need to try it. I looooove eggnog

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

It's just "lait poule" .

[@eabt]

@@chemistryofquestionablequa6252 I've seen it both ways on labels.

[@collin4555]

"If you asked for hen's milk, you would get it" Hen's milk?? Why, that's rare as bird's teeth!

[@AmataTai]

It's the old name for Eggnog XD

[@DaZebraffe]

Fun fact, some birds (mostly waterfowl) do actually have teeth.

[@pacman10182]

@@DaZebraffe chicks have a small tooth on their beak to help them hatch, it usually falls off. to see a chiken make it to adulthood with it still attached is rare as hens teeth

[@DaZebraffe]

@@pacman10182 Neat. ...but Collin didn't mention hens' teeth. He mentioned birds' teeth. :P

[@pacman10182]

@@DaZebraffe he's misquoting the phrase it's "rare as hens teeth"

[@daimonios]

In addition to the Dinner of Trimalchio (or Cena Trimalchionis) highlighting Roman aristocrats' anxieties about social climbers/new citizens, it also has a motif of things not being what they seem that makes it really fun. Upon entering Trimalchio's house, Encolpius is scared by a really realistic-looking dog mosaic. During the meal itself, many of the foods are stuffed with other things, etc., AND Trimalchio even tells a story about a werewolf encounter! In Latin, the word used is "versipellis," which literally means "pelt-changer."

[@stevengolden689]

This channel has really become a professional show. It's been a joy to watch max perfect his craft.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@ogvanillathunder]

Also, it should be noted that Trimalchio is theorized to be a stand-in for Nero because of the weird similarities between the two. During the dinner party taking place during the juvenalia, a Roman holiday where social roles were flipped, a servant on a trapeze ends up falling and dying right at the feet of Trimalchio EXACTLY like how Nero had a gymnast fall and die at his feet in one of the games he funded. There was also the comedic description of the two matching up and a recurring motif of gold in both of their lives.

[@ragnkja]

There is, however, a major difference between the two: Trimalchio was a freed slave, while Nero was the nephew of Emperor Caligula.

[@ogvanillathunder]

@@ragnkja not exactly, Nero had a really weird family lineage once you look into it (he was never a slave, but he didn't grow up in royalty). I took a class on Nero for a gen ed for my university, but I don't remember much about nero's early life other than the few comments suetonius made

[@varana]

@@ogvanillathunder Nero was the son of Domitius Ahenobarbus, a very high-ranking Roman aristocrat, and Iulia Agrippina, sister of emperor Caligula, and he was born during Caligula's reign. Yes, his father died and his mother was exiled when he was a child - so he was raised by his aunt Domitia Lepida for a while, mother of emperor Claudius' wife and married to several aristocrats, the whole family having close ties to the imperial dynasty. You can't get much more high-status than that, except for being literally the son of an emperor.

[@ogvanillathunder]

@@varana as he was growing up, he didn't necessarily have the full lavish lifestyle of a real nobel. Suetonius said he was taught by a barber and a dancer before he eventually taken in by Seneca.

[@TheRealNormanBates]

@@ragnkja that’s what writers would call “cover.” As in: if Nero or his supporters ever accused you of making fun of him, you have enough differences to say it’s merely coincidental and not being worthy of being tortured to death.

[@lindag.9069]

Thank you for not putting cherries in the piglet's eyes so this one won't haunt my dreams

[@StonedtotheBones13]

Really? This one is far more haunty for me.

[@lindag.9069]

@@StonedtotheBones13 I mean all roasted piglets are somewhat cursed but the cherry-eyes made that one definitely 100% cursed

[@plaguemarine7767]

Imagine it with pomegranates

[@lindag.9069]

@@plaguemarine7767 why would you do this to me 😭 what did i ever do to yooooou

[@BLS31]

I wonder what would be better to cover the eyes with...grape leaves? Coins?

[@kennethstine2419]

I am just an occasional cook, and sometimes my wife's kitchen helper,,, BUT I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!!! You make each episode so entertaining. Thanks Max

[@Orzorn]

Not only does Tasting History teach me history, but it also teaches me so much about words, language, and even differences in weight systems! This is the kind of in-depth history nerd stuff I love to read about. Speaking of, Max, you touched on it in a recent video, but reading about Roman coinage is fascinating. All the names, changing coins as emperors got declared and died (often killed!), their efforts to change the coins valuation (usually by devaluing it by minting a LOT), etc. Its just a good old nerdy read.

[@RealRedRabbit]

13:43 "and it cuts so prettily." I love how absolutely adorable this man is.

[@DerptyDerptyDUM]

That was a damn fine Sassy Head Waggle. You did Salt-N-Pepa proud, son. 🏆

[@DerptyDerptyDUM]

@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 *shakes butt furiously*

[@CrashFu]

Now we just need an episode where Max makes Hen Milk and Fig-Peckers.

[@odinfromcentr2]

DO IT 🤣

[@junietwoknees]

I'm pretty sure fig-pecker was just a roman name for a specific bird that would,, you know, peck at figs.

[@coppersandsprite]

@@junietwoknees , hens milk is a drink similar to egg nog. Fig pecker is actually a stuffed sardine dish named for it's resemblance to a warbler.

[@CrashFu]

@@coppersandsprite Before I was joking, but now I really DO wanna see Max make those things. :9

[@chris999999999999]

@@coppersandsprite That's a relief. I was worried hen's milk would have been something similar to the fish milt that Max got queasy about last week.

[@jangunnarrooth]

I'm literally in tears laughing over "Gaius Petronius, the Tim Gunn of ancient Rome.". I desperately need to know how to say "I'm concerned" and "make it work" in Latin.

[@Cowgirlcadet]

"I'm concerned" = Ego interest "Make it work" = opus quod facere According to Google Translate.

[@sallycormier1383]

Trimalchio, the Minnie Pearl of Ancient Rome. Cracked me up hearing about his feast with cost of his silver platters etc displayed. Also, when you were making the “stuffing” I kept thinking about dough laying on every horizontal surface drying and what a patient person Jose must be!

[@dakel20]

Oh man, I make romanian plăcintă all the time, it's one of my favorite fried foods honestly. We make it with just cheese (usually meunster or brick), and dill, and it's absolutely delicious. Glad my great grandma brought that on the boat with her. ;D

[@phoenixsoren]

I really want to see all of those roman zodiac dishes at some point.

[@patrickdaniels57]

Idk why but the "whole hog" pun really got me lol

[@jstray2321]

I just want to give you some encouragement. I came across your videos a few months back and I've now watched them all - totally worth the binge. I saw how you recently left disney and I can tell you that I think you have trained your whole life to be right here right now where you are. What you do is inspiring, wholesome, informative and good in every imaginable way. Thank you for the entertainment.

[@ryud0]

Can we all appreciate how much time it probably took to clean Max's oven after that

[@krismcbride7253]

I have to wonder if the feasts given by Roman and Medieval nobility became a game of one upping each other by serving the most extravagant dishes they could think of.

[@StonedtotheBones13]

I would guess yes, absolutely. It seems like a very human thing to do. I know later in society, when balls were a thing, people loved to throw ever more extravagant ones

[@physicsfan314]

I mean, that's what feasts with my friends and I are... only difference is the Emperor's had more money.

[@entonberg3945]

Finished online school, just made some fried rice, sat down to watch youtube, and then I see Max has uploaded a new video, today is a good day.

[@KB4QAA]

Bon appetit!

[@KellyMcnelly333]

I do this too after work with pizza 🍕😅

[@varunrao6662]

Next Tasting History for Max: honeyed doormouse. Followed by a side of fried black rat intestines mentioned in that Indian recipe episode

[@victoriahoward8244]

🤮🤮🤮

[@Projectwolfie21]

And the next one, the top five brains Romans ate!

[@kathrynschenk7432]

Yes, I've read the whole Satyricon (technically it's a Menippean satire) in Latin. Try it, you'll like it. Among other things it gives us an idea of Roman vernacular - how Romans talked. They didn't all sound like Cicero. This is another terrific post, thank you! Your definition and recipe for tractum is absolutely correct, but any modern Italian would recognize the result as plain, old pasta (flour + water). It's not "egg pasta," but it is the kind of stuff you find on the shelves of the grocery store as noodles for lasagne. It's exactly the same. That also explains where the moisture went, the pasta absorbed it. Many thank! - Allan

[@sarahc4004]

The stuffed dormice were a huge favorite on Saturnalia! Every year I celebrate by teaching my Latin students how to make them... out of Oreos and candy XD. Not sure Apicius would approve, but the modern palate sure does.

[@melenatorr]

We had to read the Satyricon in high school and I just wasn't ready for it. However, I have a fondness for the character of Petronius thanks to his portrayal by Leo Genn in "Quo Vadis". He and Peter Ustinov's Nero have some the the best scenes, both funny and horrifying, in the movie.

[@DenBed]

*Important Guest comes to the Palace * The Romans : "Oh Yess...Serve forth the Honey Glazed Flamingo with a Doormouse stuffed in it" Note:- How could you willingly eat a honey glazed Doormouse...its so cute!

[@paletasdhielo]

Prolly not so cute after being skinned and cooked but I do have the same feeling

[@sunnyztmoney]

Remember what the doormouse said.....

[@TheMimiSard]

@@sunnyztmoney Treacle...

[@emilyjolie4338]

I can't tell you how excited I got when I saw Trimalchio. The Satyricon is a wild ride. Also, if you're looking to cook dormice without actually cooking mice, use chicken.

[@GiselleMFeuillet]

**munching on doormouse** hm... tastes like chicken.

[@lenabreijer1311]

Or maybe quail which are very small. That would be closer in size.

[@oliverstevens5413]

just finished the final exam for a “food in the ancient Mediterranean” class, fun way to relax afterwards lol.

[@Nimesay1]

This is a class? So cool.

[@dank_smirk2ndchannel200]

The Trojan Pig just sounds like the Ancient Roman equivalent of a Turducken.

[@razvanmazilu6284]

Random fact of the day: in Romanian pies to this day are called "plăcintă" which, as you might imagine, traces its etymology to the Latin "placenta".

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

Stay tuned to next week's episode :)

[@bigmoniesponge]

@@KetchupwithMaxandJose he predicted the episode

[@bluevioletandlilac]

Foreshadowing.

[@mercenarygundam1487]

Dacians be proud

[@deangtspecial6689]

It's not just the food, although that is why I click. It is the history and the presentation I come for. Well done and glad you are full time here.

[@SNARC15]

Me: I wonder when Pliny the Elder will be mentioned... 6:06 : THERE HE IS!

[@9wowable]

What the hell, this channel just came back into my recommended page. Last time I saw it it had 15k subs, and I though the videos were quite good. Bro, good on you. Seriously. I am shocked how well you’ve done.

[@TastingHistory]

Thanks a bunch :D

[@lucaschiantodipepe2015]

As a Roman I read recipes from ancient Rome. They looked complicated in preparation with weird ingredients: honey and fermented anchovies, sweet wine and spices. Many herbs they use to me were unknown.

[@peachprincess8486]

When I heard "panniers of olives", my costume-history-loving brain imagined 17th century women smuggling olives by using the panniers or the hoops in their skirts ahhhh 😂 But omg thank you for your videos! 💕 They are so educational and fun!

[@agimagi2158]

Can we make this a thing please!!

[@littlecrookedhouse]

LOL! Now I'll never get this visual out of my head. It could be a costume college meme.

[@hannahcollins1816]

Haha yes I pictured 18th c dress as well! Although I would not be lugging around olives...

[@peachprincess8486]

@@littlecrookedhouse Hehe omg it could!!! :D

[@peachprincess8486]

@@hannahcollins1816 I'd have to smuggle it to my rooms because I wasn't allowed to eat, only watch at the french king's feast 😂

[@MinkxiTes]

"I cook my recipes after roman imperial messurements" sounds way better than just imperial units for recipes.

[@martinnyberg9295]

2:25 Max, you missed the opportunity to point out that the word ounce has to do with twelfths and dozens and that the Roman libra is the correct one. 😂👍🏼

[@TastingHistory]

You’re right!

[@martinnyberg9295]

@@TastingHistory You still get the chance with fluid ounces, or uncial writing. 😁👍🏼😊

[@daniellarsson3453]

Taking that stuffing out entirely after the pig is done, and flambeeing it with cognac and maybe a cup of heavy cream and a cup of drippings/water would probably make for an amazing gravy/sauce as the tracta would work as thickener.

[@justsomeemperorofrome34]

For those wondering what's the classical music playing in the background, it's Vivaldi's Concerto in A minor RV356

[@Lauren.E.O]

I’m a little sad Rome month ends next week, but I also can’t wait to see what comes next! Thanks for another great video!

[@caden-reynolds]

man, Food Network eat your heart out this show slaps

[@tylerboyce4081]

That poor Grumpig plush in the left corner...having to watch as you devour their kin. XD

[@Siddingsby]

Ya boy over here, roasting a whole pig like it's nothing.

[@baronsaturday1]

I loved this episode. I think I will try it. I tried to make the Ancient Roman cockspatched chicken with garum and locate. It came out really well and tasted great! I was wondering if you would do a show on a food that is a 21st century endangered species. 100 year old recipes that were extremely popular then but are hardly made today and might not survive 20 years from now. You could tell its history and why it fell out of favor. I've never seen a shoofly pie or apple pan dowdy on any menu. What is a bananas foster? There are lots of endangered species dishes from around the world. Please show us one. Kudos for the job you've done and thanks again.

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

I wouldnt be mad if you dedicated this entire channel to Ancient Rome. Its just such an interesting time in history

[@longyu9336]

3:18 Cato's recipe: Add one teaspoon of Carthaginian soil for saltiness

[@jasoncarvajal6099]

CARTAGO DELENDA EST

[@laurelcausey]

We are such nerds. And I LOVE it.

[@nathanielcharles3632]

What honeyed tones, got my tea ready and time to pig out on some sweet history content

[@TastingHistory]

What kind of tea?

[@nathanielcharles3632]

@@TastingHistory Roibos, with some orange and cardamom banana bread

[@PHIKrieger]

I absolutely love your content. Showed you to my grandmother and she is for the first time experiencing KZbin. Thanks to your charming video's we can really tell you love making them, and we love watching them!

[@zahrahkhalid6333]

I’d love to see an episode on what you do with all the leftover food once the episode is over

[@eddiekoleno2291]

You know the meme "Guile's theme goes with everything"? Got a new one. Everytime I mess up while cooking I look towards the "audience" and say "yep... But imagine what ancient cooks had to go through. This time on tasting history!"

[@Fingkregh]

Love your teamup with CA, Simone sends his regards.

[@marmotarchivist]

Yay, an episode on the “cena trimalchionis”. I picked this book for my final Latin exam in high school. I mean, why choose some dry text about philosophy, religion, or warfare if you can study a funny, slightly raunchy and totally over the top adventure story with a big feast as the focal point. Keep up the good work with the amazing food and well researched history and I hope they start giving you a discount for all the suckling pigs you’re buying.

[@ScrappyKitty15]

You don't know how delighterful your channel is. I've been so stressed and when I listen to your channel it just helps me cope. God bless you Max! And love all your plushies 💚

[@devinpeacock7940]

Having a glass of wine with Max and just talking about history = life goals