Part 3/8:
Cato's work De Agri Cultura features one of the only documented recipes associated with Carthage: puls punica. The term puls refers to a type of porridge, while punica signifies its Phoenician origins, showcasing the culinary traditions that persisted through the ages. The recipe calls for soaking one pound of emmer grain, combining it with fresh cheese, honey, and an egg, and mixing it all together—though Cato mysteriously omits cooking instructions.
Drawing on similar ancient recipes, the cooking process can be reconstructed to ensure the dish is both culturally authentic and palatable. Today’s food innovations, as presented by sponsors like HelloFresh, mean we can prepare complex meals without needing to decipher latent Roman cooking instructions.