The rich Ancient Romans enjoyed their food. Expensive food, along with a lavish villa, was an obvious way of showing off your wealth to others. If you hosted a banquet at your villa to which other Roman worthies had been invited, it had to go well if your social standing was to be maintained - hence why elaborate and expensive foods were well provided. Roast peacock and ostriches and the like, would be provided.

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Baked dormice: "Stuff  the dormice with minced pork or the meat of other dormice chopped up with herbs, pepper and pine nuts. Sew up the dormice and cook in a small oven."

A sweet: "Take the crusts from a white loaf and break the bread into largish pieces. Soak them in milk. Fry them in hot oil or fat. Pour honey over them and serve."

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OVA SFONGIA EX LACTE (Pancakes with Milk)

(Apic. 7, 13, 8)
                           
                           Ingredients:
                           ------------
                           8      eggs
                           600ml  milk
                           100ml  oil
                           a little bit honey
                           a little bit ground pepper
                           
                           Instructions:
                           -------------
                           Mix eggs, milk and oil until you have a pancake dough. Fry in a pan
                           and serve topped with honey and a little pepper.

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FABACIAE VIRIDES ET BAIANAE (Green and Baian Beans) 
(Apic. 5, 6, 1)
                           
                           Ingredients:
                           ------------
                           )500g       soybeans with pod, or green beans
                           50ml       Liquamen, or 1/2 tsp salt with 50ml wine
                           1-2 tblsp  oil
                           1 tblsp    minced coriander leaves (or 1/2 tblsp ground coriander seed)
                           1 tsp      cumin seeds
                           1/2        minced branch of leek
                           
                           Instructions:
                           -------------
                           Cook beans with Liquamen, oil, leek and spices. Serve.