ANCIENT FLAVOURS - MODERN TABLES
Alongside our core menu, we’ve been developing a series of dishes inspired by ancient Roman cuisine, including a reinterpretation of Libum from Cato the Elder’s writings. The idea is not to recreate history, but to explore how early food traditions can be translated into a modern dining context.
Globi
Small Bites, Ancient Origins
They may look like simple spheres, but globi carry over two thousand years of history.
First described by Cato the Elder in De Agricultura, these golden bites were made from cheese and flour, fried gently, then finished with honey, a balance of savoury and sweet that feels surprisingly modern.
What’s fascinating is how familiar they seem.
Something so ancient, yet so recognisable, almost like an early ancestor of desserts we know today.
At Gem42, we don’t just recreate these dishes, we explore them.
How they were eaten, why they were made, and how those flavours still speak to us now
Named from the Latin globus, meaning “sphere,” these small, golden bites are as simple in form as they are rich in history.
Our interpretation draws from those origins, balancing texture and flavour while staying true to the spirit of the dish. Crisp on the outside, soft within, a quiet nod to the ingenuity of ancient Roman cooking.
At Gem42, we continue to explore the past, bringing forgotten recipes into a modern tasting experience
LIBUM
A Taste of Ancient Rome. Libum.
Libum, one of the earliest recorded breads of the ancient Roman world, was more than sustenance, it was an offering. Described by Cato the Elder in De Agricultura, it was baked for the gods and shared in moments of ritual and gathering.
Our interpretation stays true to its humble origins while refining it for the modern table.
Warm, soft, and lightly enriched, served with a nod to garum and the sweetness of fig, echoing the ancient balance of savoury and sweet.
A simple dish, carrying centuries of history.
DULCIA DOMESTICA
The Dulcia Domestica are little confections made of pitted with nuts and ground pepper, sprinkled with seeds on the outside. The recipe comes from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria in Book 7, Ch. 8, Recipe #294.
SAVILLUM (Cheese cake) (Roman, 1st century BCE)
Savillum is a Roman recipe found in De AgriCultura, the earliest-known work of Roman prose. It was written by the Roman politician Cato the Elder, a man noted for his devotion to simplicity and love of country life. This recipe is made from: honey, fresh cheese (ricotta or a farmer's cheese), wheat, eggs, red chicory & spices.
SAVILLUM
AGNUM PARTHICUM
Haedum sive agnum particum
Agnello di Apicio
Agnum Parthicum (l'agnello alla partica)
Our Welsh lamb will find is place in an ancient recipe and prepared with a silk of dried prunes ,fermented prunes, red onions, black garlic and garum. By incorporating these ancient techniques and ingredients into your tasting menu, we are not only paying homage to the culinary heritage of the Mediterranean but also creating a unique and unforgettable dining experience
Sheep were common sacrificial animals, and were a common centrepiece for feasts. This recipe specifies lamb, which was a particularly expensive, luxurious choice, and only available in spring. The other option for the meat, was also considered a delicacy, and would have been expensive, given goats were particularly prized for their milk. Slaughtering a young animal potentially meant forgoing years of production.
Another liquid, of a very exquisite nature, is that known as “garuim:” it is prepared from the intestines of fish and various parts which would otherwise be thrown away, macerated in salt; so that it is, in fact, the result of their putrefaction. (Pliny the Elder).
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
​
One of the things the Romans were famously into, was soaking their food up in a sauce known as “Garum” or “Liquamen” which we’ve found archaeological evidence of in manufacturing, residue in pottery, and depicted in art and writing of the time. The sauce knew no societal bounds, common among people of all different classes and religions (evidence of a kosher option even exists) [1 & 3]. So, basically sounds like the Roman version of ketchup. How bad could it be?
GARUM
