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The Sweet Secret Ingredient Ancient Romans Used In Scrambled Eggs

Tag：ancient Romans scrambled eggs ingredient 2023-08-21 16:06

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There are about as many ways to make "perfect" scrambled eggs as there are egg layers in Iowa (about 54 million, the last time they counted their chickens). Most of these scrambled egg hacks involve adding special ingredients to the eggs, which is a subject some never tire of debating. Should you stir in cream for added richness, or make the eggs light and airy with a splash of seltzer? Soy sauce adds an umami boost, while avocados, bacon, cheese, and other ingredients can take your eggs the rest of the way through the culinary alphabet. While the late Queen of England's preference for eggs with nutmeg and lemon zest was seen as being somewhat unorthodox by some, an even less familiar scrambled egg add-in is one that was popular back when the Roman Emperor Tiberius sat on a throne of his own.

A type of omelet topped with honey is featured in "De Re Coquinaria," a cookbook thought to be compiled by first-century foodie Apicius. It goes by the name ova spongia ex lacte, meaning spongy eggs with milk. This combination is hardly unusual, although the proportions are more liquidy than a modern omelet — for 4 eggs, you use a cup of milk as well two tablespoons of oil. Beat these ingredients, then cook the eggs (some translations say fry, others say bake) in more oil. When the ova spongia's done, top it with black pepper and honey, then do as the Romans do and dig in.

Honey and eggs isn't just a historical curiosity

The Sweet Secret Ingredient Ancient Romans Used In Scrambled Eggs

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Apicius wasn't the only historical personage to eat his eggs with honey if indeed the ova spongia recipe can be attributed to him. Albert Einstein, whose ground-breaking theory of relativity revolutionized physics in the early 20th century, is alleged to have enjoyed his eggs fried in butter and honey. This is actually very similar to a dish known as huevos fritos con miel (fried eggs with honey) that is eaten in Colombia.

The idea of serving scrambled eggs with honey still has its modern-day adherents, as well. One Reddit thread, despite being posted in r/unpopularopinion, found that few were shocked or revolted by the OP's admission that they liked to put honey on their eggs. A few experimental chefs have even come up with their own spin on this first-century innovation, some going sweet and savory by scrambling eggs with honey and feta or goat cheese, while others lean toward sweeter scrambles made with honey and peaches, nuts, or bananas. Lui Coffee, a cafe in Georgia -– the country, not the state — even features a scrambled egg dish on its menu made with a five-cheese blend (cream cheese, gouda, blue, parmesan, and a local specialty called suluguni) plus lettuce, roasted walnuts, and honey.

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