Among the numerous foreigners who recorded their impressions of the Byzantine court Liutprand of Cremona, ambassador of Berengar of Italy in 949–50, provides descriptions of court ceremonies and a glowing account of the Christmas dinner he enjoyed at the Great Palace. Christmas…
In his lettter to Alexios Pantechnes, Ioannis Tzetzes, a 12th century Byzantine scholar, thanks him for his gifts which were spices and a living partridge, adding that he preferred slaughtered animals to alive ones, because he could not suffer seeing blood…
On Saturday, January 15, I will give you a glimpse into the diet of the rich and poor of Constantinople in Komninoi times (11th – 12th century AD). The menu includes, among others: ~ Condyto: a spiced wine ~ Rabbit…
“Geoponica” lists various methods for curing olives… My second olive -experiment was olives preserved in honey… in two types of honey, actually. 1 kilo of almost ripe olives was cured in thyme honey and 400 grams were stored in “bitter” monofloral honey of strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo). No aromatic seeds…
Geoponica* make it clear that this should be the best compound of olives. So, I followed the instructions and I used 2 kilos of large ripe olives gathered with the hand. I cut them around with a razor blade…