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Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:29 am
by Aldus Marius
From Stephen Gallagher (Nova Roma's Censor Ti. Galerius Paulinus), spqr753 -at- msn -dot- com:

Please join us for dinner!

A group of Nova Romans and other lovers of all things Roman will be holding a Roman dinner on January 17th from 5:00pm on. The dinner will be held at
Lohr's Restaurant which is located at 911 E. Patrick St., Frederick, MD 21701.

They have some menu ideas and a Roman cookbook from me. Any other suggestions are always welcome.


In fide (Hei, I'd go if it weren't half a continent away!),

Re: Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:52 pm
by M Sempronia Pulla
Salve,

Is there an RSVP or do you just show up? I don't know anybody, but would like to go if I'm able to (it's about an hour away from me).

Re: Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:22 pm
by Tiberius Dionysius Draco
Salve Pulla,

Did you go in the end? Or were you unable to contact anyone?

Vale bene,

Re: Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:19 am
by M Sempronia Pulla
Salve Tiberius Dionysius Draco!

After being granted probationary citizenship (I was hesitant to attend otherwise), I did go! :) Here is my summary that I posted to the newroman group:
=========================================

The Location: Lohr's Family Restaurant ( http://www.lohrsonline.com/ )
A quaint family restaurant nestled in what I'm assuming was downtown Frederick, Maryland that's run by an *excellent* chef with a solid background. From the way I was coming, I passed through what appeared to be an industrial area before seeing a few houses and then the restaurant. Once inside, you go past the main area with its tables and bar, to a backroom that's decorated in lovely strung-up white lights and larger tables with maroon or dark green table clothes (can't remember). I would say the area was about the size of a townhouse's living room. I found it to be very cozy and relaxing. All the way in the back was a long table, the dinner table, with plates, wine glasses and condiments set up and waiting.

The Cookbook Used: "A Taste of Ancient Rome" by Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa

The Food (Apologies if I leave anything out):
Appetizers
The gem of the appetizers was hands down hard boiled eggs with a sauce. The sauce recipe can be found in the book on pages 46-47 (Apicus 328/329). I believe it was the sauce recipe for medium-boiled eggs that lists pine nuts, vinegar, honey, pepper and lovage. At any case, it was to die for. Simply delicious! Other goodies include figs (amazing), green olives, peppers, grapes, nectarines, pears and homemade Italian bread (also really good).
There was a leafy salad, but I couldn't tell you what exactly was in it. It made a nice light snack. For a beverage we were given a mead made locally--that which is closest to mulsum. It tasted almost exactly like a white wine with honey in it.

Main Course
Now for these, I can't find any of the recipes in the book. My apologies. And not being a cook, my descriptions are going to be a little vague.

There was a shrimp dish with large, shelled shrimp in some kind of really good dill sauce with cut up hard boiled eggs. There was a chicken dish that was simply delicious, but I have no idea what the ingredients. It could have been something similar to Chicken a la Fronto (pg 105, Apicus 248) or Chicken a la Elagaballus (pg 106, Apicus 247). Hopefully someone can fill it in. In place of boar, there was a pork dish, I believe basted in its own sauce with salt and pepper and something else in it. For a vegetable there were green beans and I think leeks in some kind of garlic sauce.

Desert
I honestly have no idea what the desert was. It was circular and had I believe a honey over it with pine nuts. It was beige-ish and had a gelatin-like consistency. I want to say it was some kind of egg or lard dish, but I really don't know.

All in all, it was a wonderful dinner. Great service, fun experience. Much more entertaining than eating at your generic restaurant. And again, the food was beautifully cooked--very professional and satisfying. I left the dinner wishing there was a Roman-themed restaurant somewhere. Minus the really obscure and possibly unpalatable (to the modern tongue) dishes, I believe it would do really well, especially if the themed restaurant let people recline or something of the sort. :)

=========================================

Gnaeus Equitius Marinas added concerning the dessert:

It was flan. It's a custard that is usually served with a carmel
sauce, but ours had a honey and pine nut sauce. While I don't know
the exact recipe our chef used, here's a web page with lots of flan
recipes:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/ ... ewAll.aspx

Re: Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:22 pm
by Tiberius Dionysius Draco
Salve Pulla!

Your post is moutwatering... I might just have to go, buy that book and start cooking. I'd cook Chicken a la Elagaballus for the name alone :wink:.

The only time I got to experience Roman cooking was at the Gallo-Roman festival at Vioviracum (Wervik). Hotdogs with
honey-sauce! It sounds nasty but tasted great, by the time I went back for seconds, the cook had sold out.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

Vale optime,

Re: Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 3:22 am
by Valerius Claudius Iohanes
"Hotdogs with honey-sauce" - ! Next time we're bbq-ing at home here, I'll have to get some good quality dogs and try it.

Re: Roman Cena, 17 Ian 09 (MD, US)

PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:13 am
by Aldus Marius
Salvete amici!

I've had the pine-nut sauce; 'twas present at the Feriae Latinae banquet put on by The Roman Way in Austin, TX last April, which Curator Servilius and I attended. I rarely try new foods, and even more rarely like them; but the sauce was a hit! Once I'd finished my eggs, I dunked whole-grain bread in the rest...much too good to waste even a smidgen.

As for flan, I have my Hispanic origins to thank for my lifelong familiarity with the dish. I love the stuff. Mater's is unbeatable, but it is also served at the better Mexican restaurants just about everywhere...yes, even B-ville, Oklahoma. >({|;-)

In amicitia,