The Real Origin of the Hamburger (Hint: It’s Roman)

Описание: Think the hamburger was born in America? Think again.

Venture back in time to ancient Rome with me as I recreate Isicia Omentata, an ancient food that's basically a proto-burger! This minced meat patty, was wrapped in caul fat, and seasoned with pepper, myrtle berries, and fermented fish sauce. Join me as I explore the food history and taste this unique dish from the Roman empire.

In this episode, we’re going 1,500 years back to Ancient Rome to recreate Isicia Omentata: a gourmet patty wrapped in stomach fat, seasoned with pepper, myrtle berries, and fermented fish sauce. This isn’t fast food; it was a status symbol for toga-clad elites, and it just might be the real ancestor of the modern burger.

Along the way, we’ll dive into Roman street food culture, the surprising role of thermopolia (Rome’s ancient fast-food joints), and how this recipe spread across an empire - long before McDonald’s and drive-thrus. We’ll cook it, taste it, and uncover whether this might be the first burger in history.

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00:00 – Intro
00:53 – Burger Patty
03:29 – Burger History
05:20 – Burger Bun
07:09 – Plating
07:47 – Tasting

Recipe translation: Minced meat wrapped in caul fat
You shall grind the chopped meat together with the crumb of fine white bread soaked in wine. Crush pepper, fish sauce, and, if you like, a pounded myrtle berry all together. You will form small patties, placing pine nuts and pepper inside. Wrap them in caul fat and roast them gently with caroenum (a reduced wine sauce).

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Unicorn Stew
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Image Credits:
British Library
Creative Commons