Cooking
The Romans introduced several cooking techniques to Britain during their occupation. Here are a few:
- Baking: The Romans were skilled bakers, and they introduced the concept of baking bread in communal ovens. They also made sweet pastries and cakes.
- Boiling: Boiling was a common method of cooking for the Romans. They used large pots to cook vegetables, grains, and meats.
- Frying: The Romans enjoyed fried foods, including fish and meat. They used olive oil for frying.
- Spices and Sauces: The Romans brought a variety of spices and herbs, which they used to flavour their dishes. They also introduced sauces like garum (a fermented fish sauce) and liquamen.
- Preserving Food: The Romans used techniques like pickling, salting, and drying to preserve food for longer periods.
These culinary practices left a lasting impact on British cuisine, influencing how we cook and eat today!


Recipes from the cook book of Apicus in 400 AD
Brain sausage [isicia de cerebellis]
put in the mortar pepper, lovage and oregano, moisten with broth and rub; add cooked brains and mix diligently so that there be no lumps. incorporate five eggs and continue mixing well to have a good forcemeat which you may thin with broth. spread this out in a metal pan, cook, and when cooked [cold] unmold it onto a clean table. cut into handy size. [now prepare a sauce] put in the mortar pepper, lovage and oregano, crush, mix with broth put into a saucepan, boil, thicken and strain. heat the pieces of brain pudding in this sauce thoroughly, dish them up, sprinkled with pepper, in a mushroom dish.
References
- Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius (Gutenberg) Not a military cookbook but gives an idea of what was cooked
- 90 Roman army ovens unearthed near Aberdeen
