The Time Traveller's Chef - Right Time, Right Place?

I'm sure many of you are probably wondering, what the hell is this about? And the truth is, so am I, here we are in November 2020 (let's not spend too long reflecting on this year) and I, like many English people, are facing a brand new, Lockdown. Um... Yay?

So what have I been doing? Well like everyone else binge watching TV and eating snacks. I'm a bit of a history nerd and love watching history documentaries, especially those involving Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and Dan Jones. I've basically used all my time this year - oh my god, I've used all my time this year - to watch every single history documentary I can lay my hands on. And while I've generally watched new documentaries and TV Series, I've also gone back to some of my favourites, the BBC's Back in Time for Dinner Series and Supersizers Go [insert time period here].

So here I am, dealing with the difficulties of a new Lockdown and desperately trying to think of something fun and interesting to do, that won't break the bank with Christmas approaching, or will be so wacky that my family disown me! And then it hit me! I eat food and I like history, and if there's one thing I think means you have a better understanding of anyone's culture, social standing and the history they lived through, it's to eat their food. So I decided on it, I would have my own mini Back in Time for Dinner challenge and get a sense of what it was like to live and eat during past times. I was thrilled and immediately ran to tell my partner.

My ever so slightly, more normal partner looked at me like I was rather strange and asked, 'Do we have to? Why do you want to do this?' I explained in my rambly and excited way my reasons. I also may have pointed out that as I tend to cook and do the food shopping, there wasn't much he could do about it! He finally agreed, but insisted I keep the doormice and cow's udder to a minimum.

I will also give a shout out to my work colleague here, who was the only person I told that was as equally giddy about the idea! She thought it was great and asked if I was also going to dress up. She was honestly quite disappointed when I said I wasn't sure if I could afford both food and historical costumes, but she asked me to send her pictures. She sends me daily pictures of her very cute, if very awkward cat, so one could not ask for a better work colleague!

Rules For My Time Travelling Kitchen

1. I am not going to poison myself or my partner with any slightly funkier ingredient, just because the people in the past thought it tasted great and was necessary. I know how much the Roman's loved their Rue and the Tudors loved their Tansy, I still have zero desire to either make myself very ill or even kill myself!
   
   
2. Everyone will get a look in, rich and poor alike. It's probably always going to be more tempting to eat the banquet of a Lord, than the pottage of a peasant. But hey, it means some more veggies in my diet and will be interesting to explore what everyone ate.
   
   
3. If an ingredient is rare, expensive or hard to come by I will not lose sleep if I'm unable to recreate a recipe perfectly. Some things you just can't even get anymore, like Garum.
   
   
4. I will tend to stick to either British or European food. Look, it's nothing personal rest of the world, I just happen to be British and know more about historical British and European food. But if anyone is absolutely desperate for me to try the recipes of 15th century Japan or 18th century America, just give me a toot! I will try my best!
   
   
5. As much as possible, I will try to use the tools and implements people had in the past to cook with, but let's be honest here, if my ancestors could have whipped cream with a handheld whisk you bet your sweet butt they would've done! I'm still a busy lady, so sometimes short cuts will be needed!
   
   
6. And I will update my blog as regularly as possible with the ingredients, recipe and results of my mad decision, so please join me as we step back through time and travel into the past's kitchens!

Our first stop is Ancient Rome, so I hope to see you there!