It is well known that in the past people actually wrote a lot, aside from various stories, we know that they actually followed different Ancient Recipes and ate different types of food. We bring you 9 ancient recipes from all around the world that might be a little bit offbeat.
1. Human Stew – Aztecs, 10th Century CE, Olmec 7th Century BCE – The first of the ancient recipes list
We do know about the famous chocolate drink that Aztecs came up with, but did you know they also ate human meat? 1629. Alarcón wrote about tlacatl olli which is a human stew. Most of the human related recipes come from Mesoamerica.
2. Pig Vulva Sausage With Herbs And Pine Nuts – Romans 4th Century CE
Valvulae balotelli is a cool ancient recipe and meal which comes from the cookbook of Apicius in the 4th Century. Pig Vulva Sausage was considered a great delicacy and it was served with all kinds of herbs.
3. Black Soup – Spartans, 1st Millennium BCE
Even if you cannot find this recipe anywhere, it is well known that warriors ate it – Melas Zomos or the Black soup served with figs and cheese was thought to be making Spartans brave.
4. Stewed Guinea Pig With Hot Peppers And Flowers – Incas, 17th Century CE
Cuy is another way of saying ‘a roasted guinea pig’, it is a known meal of Incas before 5000 years ago. Stuffing it with hot peppers and flowers will result in making ‘carapulcra’ which was first described by Bernabe Cobo in the 17th century.
5. Fermented Shark – Vikings 9th Century CE
Hakarl in other words, fermented shark meat, is still consumed today in Iceland. The shark meat contains cyanide which is very poisonous if not cured properly. This meal is usually eaten meanwhile drinking Brennivin, a strong Icelandic liquor.
6. Blue Corn Pancake With Sheep Spinal Cord – Hopi 16th Century CE
Piki is another name for this Blue Corn Pancake which is considered an art since it is very complicated to make. The tradition of piki goes back for at least 500 years – piki was a ceremonial meal.
7. Multigrain Bread Cooked Over Human Feces – Israelites, 6th Century BCE
Coming from the Old Testament, Ezekiel 4:12, this bread has to be backed by a person who will eat it, in front of other people, baked right over human feces. It probably sounds awful but it used to be a very respected biblical recipe.
8. Porpoise Porridge – English 14th Century CE
King Richard II. was given a cookbook by a chef, the cookbook was named The Forme of Cury and contained various recipes such as porpoise porridge. Some claim this dish tastes like pig-fish which is what porpoise means.
9. Sweet Salty Rat With Fragrant Rice And Curry – Indian 12th Century CE
The Manasollasa is a book written by South Indian king Someshvara III, it contains a recipe for a black rat. Yes, people actually ate rats back in the day, and it was considered very delicious.
Would you eat these things back in the days? How about now? Would you prepare any of these ancient recipes today?
