Posca
Vinegar posca with boiled lardo, part of a Roman legionnaire’s complete diet
City/Region: Rome
Time Period: 2nd Century
The Roman general Avidius Cassius commanded his troops to carry no food except for lard, hardtack (clack clack), and sour wine (wine vinegar). While vinegar won’t actually hydrate you, it will help slake your thirst, and with the addition of salt, this is truly an ancient form of Gatorade.
I recommend adding some herbs and the salt to this. The plain version isn’t bad, but the herbs help cut the tartness of the vinegar. I used spikenard and coriander seeds because that’s what I had on hand, and the woodsy spikenard added a really nice flavor.
“Water was what he drank on his campaigns, except that once in a while, in a raging thirst, he would call for vinegar, or, when his strength was failing, would add a little wine.”
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (235 ml) water
- Red wine vinegar
- Herbs*, optional, I used spikenard and coriander seed
- Salt, optional
*Recipes from much later on used herbs, and since we don’t know the ratios for this drink or if they ever added anything to it, feel free to put in what you like.
Instructions:
- Mix as much or little vinegar into the water as you like. If you’re using the herbs and salt, mix them in and let them steep for a little while, then strain them out.
- Serve it forth with Laridum for a true Roman legionnaire meal.