Part 2/9:
The culinary journey begins with Apicius’s De Re Coquinaria—a fascinating collection that includes not just one, but six different recipes featuring cabbage. Each recipe showcases diverse flavoring techniques: one combines olives, another pairs cabbage with pine nuts and raisins, while one intriguing recipe suggests boiling cabbage and dressing it with garum (fish sauce), olive oil, wine, and various spices.
Opting for a flavorful rendition, the cabbage recipe created emphasizes boiled cabbage, aligning with medical practices recommended by Hippocrates for treating dysentery. The recipe calls for leafy green cabbage—a variety common in ancient Rome. For the modern twist, baby bok choy serves as a stand-in, conquering the disdain held for kale in the kitchen.