Two thousand years ago diets were mostly “locavore.” As Rome’s empire expanded, so did a robust import/export trading economy. Food and drink production, preparation and consumption became more varied and cosmopolitan. How did contemporary images and travel spread food news then? How do ancient Mediterranean tastes survive today, in that region and globally? Mari Firkatian seasons her sessions with the history of spices and ancient food’s religious and social implications. Taste her bread recipe from the time of Caesar and prepare a Roman appetizer to round out your culinary experience.
Please note: As an ideal finale to this course or as a memorable stand-alone dining experience, we encourage you to consider also joining us for A Roman Feast at Metro Bis, an evening created exclusively for UHart. Enjoy a four-course meal with Roman spiced wine, historical insights from Mari Firkatian, and dishes inspired by ancient traditions.
Mari A. Firkatian is a professor of history and chair of the Hillyer Humanities Department at the University of Hartford. She has been a Fulbright Scholar and a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow as well as a Yale University Fellow and a recipient of International Research and Exchanges Board scholarships. Her research interests began with nationalism, segued to diplomatic history, and her current research interests have veered toward food history. Her books are The Forest Traveler: Georgi Stoikov Rakovski and Bulgarian Nationalism, 1996, Diplomats and Dreamers: The Stancioff Family in Bulgarian History, 2008, and Home Again: Armenian Recipes from the Ottoman Empire, 2018. She has lived and traveled extensively in Southeast Europe, the Levant, and the Soviet Union.
Tuesdays, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10 | 2 p.m.–3:30 p.m. | KF Room/Harrison Libraries | $70 (includes $10 per person materials fee)
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