ROMAN FOOD PROJECT 2nd QUARTER 2009-10 Latin II Magistra LIGON

Your 2nd Quarter culture project may cover Roman agriculture/viticulture/apiculture etc., types of foods and cuisine, dining and the entertainment that frequently accompanied dining, both formal and informal.

It includes multiple parts:

A research portion (70 points), which is comprised of a 2-3-full-page (no more than 4!) paper, typed (1” margins, not including heading / footnotes / pictures or bibliography, 11- or 12-point font, 1.5- or double-spaced; no lines skipped between paragraphs) on various aspects of Roman cuisine listed above, but concentrating on food itself (types, production and consumption- places and habits, for example) and/or social aspects of food (especially YOUR recipe).
Formal bibliography must include at least 3 books (only one of which may be a CLASSICS encyclopedia, *no general encyclopedias*). Your textbook does not count! You may also use other sources (Internet-only those sites published on the library webpage- or magazines etc.) and give full identifying detail (title, author/editor, publisher, location, date/date accessed, URL).
Begin, as always, in our excellent library, for source selection. You may borrow from me a copy of the ancient chapters of Reay Tannahill’s Food in History, which may count as one of your book sources, at least 1 week before the paper is due (as available). Many of you will not need to go further than upstairs, though the UC Classics library is a world-class facility 10 minutes away.
Papers without bibliography will not be marked and will receive zero points. Bibliographies turned in late will lose their entire project 10% per day up to 2 days total. LATIN II STUDENTS will have their bibliography/notes sheets checked on 11/13 as part of the final grade (10%). Beware of the temptation to copy or even paraphrase someone else’s work; plagiarism will be referred to your administrator and will result in a zero, parent contact and possible suspension. Make notes on each source, then create your paper from your notes. Papers are due Monday, Nov 16 and will lose 10% for each day late –up to 2 class days total-and will not be accepted after 2 days. DUE means it is in my hands (or on my computer DROP BOX, not email) when I ask for it, NOT 30 minutes or 2 hours later.

A practical portion (30 points), in which you select and create an authentic recipe to share with the class. There are many web sites (use only those accessed from the library website) and books available for Roman and ancient Mediterranean food; beware of those including tomatoes, pasta, peppers, corn, sugar and other New World foods. Ask your parents for help with the preparation and cooking. Any recipe including wine or other spirits must be accompanied by written parent permission to be permitted. You must include a copy of your recipe with your food submission which must be approved by me BY Monday Nov 2 (10 points) which I will keep until your project has been graded. Your food itself is due Nov 24 (10 points). No late food will be accepted! Try to be aware of what is going to seem really nasty to modern tastes so we don’t waste food. Make enough for everyone to nibble if they’d like. YOU need to taste it as part of your project (10 points), so be careful with your choice! You MAY earn up to 5 extra points on this segment if you include a visual aid in which you present a short “menu description” for your dish or invitation to a dinner party in which your dish is featured (etc), decorated appropriately; visual impact and creativeness will be considered.

All items must be submitted during or before the class period in which they are due (Nov 2 for recipe approval, Nov 16 for paper, Nov 24 for food)! It is your responsibility to ensure that your computer and printer are functioning properly before that morning- I strongly suggest you have your paperwork completed before the due date so that it can be submitted on time. Type it at school if you have any doubts, and drop it in my DropBox BEFORE it’s due, or save to a portable data device (labelled with your name and without anything you’ll need for a week or so) in WORD or TXT format to hand in, in lieu of a paper copy. LATE SUBMISSIONS (electronic or otherwise) WILL BE REDUCED in grade as outlined above.

• Bibliography: at least 3 real books- only encyclopedia allowed must be “Classical” encyclopedia
• Bib sheets/notes will be checked 11/13
• 2-3 pages of text typed, 1” margins, 11-12 pt font, 1.5- or double-spaced
• Recipe must approved in writing by Nov 2: PARENT APPROVAL REQUIRED for anything including wine
• Paper and bibliography DUE Nov 16 IN CLASS
• Prepared food due IN CLASS on Nov 24
• Bring utensils for serving your own dish, and cutlery for eating your own food
• I will supply wipes & hand sanitizer for tidying up, water and cups for drinking, & mints for Garlic Breath
Have fun with this!

Suggested Sources

Books:

The WHHS Library has a large collection of books on reserve about ancient Rome. In particular, you should look for:

NOTE: DO NOT USE SITES FROM "MR. DONN" OR "CRYSTALINKS:" THESE CONTAIN FACTUAL ERRORS!!!! Wikipedia will NOT be accepted as a source for this project!!!!

Web sources:

The following are good general websites on ancient Rome for either information on food :

Ancient History Online- All about the cultures of major ancient civilizations, including Rome. Search for"Food" for a good overview of food and drink in ancient Rome. You will need a password from home. User name: walnut ; password: hills.

The Roman Empire Net- In spite of the annoying advertisements, this is a good source of information about the Roman world. Use the section on "Society; then choose "Food and Drink." NOTE: We have had problems using this at school; if it is blocked here, try it at home or elsewhere.

Ancient Roman History- This has VERY basic (but accurate) information about all aspects of life in ancient Rome; a good place to get started. Use the section on "Roman Food."

Daily Life in Ancient Roman- What life was like in ancient Rome, from the Classics Department at the University of Virginia. Open the scroll on "Food."

Roman Life-This is the online version of one of the best known books about ancient Rome, Mary Johnston's Roman Life. The WHHS Library has the 1957 version of this, which has more information, but this is still an excellent source. Use the sections in the side menu on Food.

The following have good information on food and banqueting. You will still want to use the books for actual recipes, though!

Antique Roman Dishes
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/historical/ant-rom-coll.html

Interesting information and some neat recipes-the ingredients may not be in your local Kroger, though!