Site of the 2,100-year old Roman tavern, featuring the pits of taboon ovens for bread, a huge dining section to the right, a drainage system and millstones. Courtesy of the Lattes Excavation
Posted on 07/03/2016 8:14:51 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
An ancient tavern believed to be more then 2,100 years old has been found in the town of Lattes, southern France, making it the oldest Roman restaurant found in the Mediterranean. They also found evidence that while Romanization changed the locals' dining habits, it didn't do much for the cuisine.
Evidently some things never change, though. The excavators in the town of Lattes found indoor gristmills and ovens for baking pita, each about one meter across. This oven, called a tabouna or taboon, is still used throughout the Middle East and Israel.
In another room, across the courtyard from the taboon, benches had been placed against the walls and a charcoal-burning hearth in the floor, suggesting that the dining hall was a sit-in restaurant, not a place for take-out...
The floors of the diner were covered in debris from broken ceramics. This pottery was garbage to the Romans, but a gold mine for the excavators, yielding new understanding about how the Romans feasted in the Celtic town of Lattara.
Much alcohol seems to have been involved. Remains of large platters and bowls for cooking, eating and serving were found. However, the type of ware found in the largest quantity was drinking bowls.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Site of the 2,100-year old Roman tavern, featuring the pits of taboon ovens for bread, a huge dining section to the right, a drainage system and millstones. Courtesy of the Lattes Excavation
Makes sense. I think it would take plenty of alcohol to away the taste of one snail pita.
Snail isn’t that bad! I find I cannot eat it if it still has the eyes, though.
Well, the Romans too were known for their propensity for party life and all the “trimmings”.
Add lots of butter and garlic. But it still chews like an eraser.
Who are unable to be with us tonight on account of bein’ rubbed out.
I can deal with the eyes, but I can’t chew if it still has the shell.
Sure. Now.
What would you feed foreign invaders 2,000 years ago in France?
Today’s foreign invaders get EBT cards so they can buy steak and lobster. We’ve dumbed down the last 2000 years.
“Evidently some things never change, though. The excavators in the town of Lattes found indoor gristmills and ovens for baking pita, each about one meter across.”
Apparently some things do change; these days pita bread is much smaller.
Interesting article, thanks for posting it.
They are all dead.
So there.
In time, we all will be.
The name was Original Famous Ray’s.
In France, they remove the snail from the shell, clean it, and cook it with herbs and butter. They serve it in the clean shell, and you dig it out with a little fork and dip bread in the melted herb butter.
In Spain, I saw snail served once—cooked in the shell. They looked exactly like snails you might pick up in your yard, except they were cooked. I couldn’t handle those.
Snails are very close cousins to clams, but do not taste the same.
I wouldn’t feed invaders. They can find their own food.
No past yet from Asia, and no potatoes or tomatoes from the new world.
Pretty dull menu, therefore.
That's the best part!
They are exactly the same varity of snails we find in American gardens.
They were imported by a frenchman homesick for a taste of home.
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