Anthimus

How to Cook an Early French Peacock: De Observatione Ciborum Anthimus

Is Anthimus' work "the oldest European medieval cookbook"? Well, it IS six centuries older than a twelfth century book that has recently been touted as exactly that. In the sixth century an Ostrogoth king sent a Byzantine physician to one of the Frankish courts where the food, being for the rich, was essentially Roman. Anthimus wrote his host a long letter on diet - De Observatione Ciborum - intended mainly for medical purposes but often outlining how to prepare the food in question. Most of the food Anthimus mentions shows Roman influence, but he also mentions specific Byzantine and Frankish specialties. This new edition of this very rare work is now BILINGUAL and includes additional notes on Anthimus' work as both a Roman and a medieval cookbook. The work also provides an overview of the cuisine the work addresses, an introduction to the very concept of a "dietetic" and comparisons of others with Anthimus' own, a list of Anthimus' remedies for specific ailments and an overview of his ideas and approach.