NAVIGATION

A ‘Patella’ is a bronze, deep frying pan used for cooking that could also be taken and displayed on the table. It uses and Latin name are mentioned by Apicius whose recipes have come down to us through the centuries. When the Roman legions invaded Britain in 43 AD they heralded many changes and by bringing us into the Roman Empire they gave us unprecedented access to a new world of sophisticated tastes, different foods and ways of cooking. They were responsible for bringing many fruit and nut bearing trees such as walnuts, figs, vines and mulberries. They introduced game such as pheasants, guinea fowl and fallow deer. A vast range of herbs and plants were brought to grow here and have renamed in cultivation ever since: garlic, leeks, onions, lettuce, radishes, cabbage, fennel, mint, rosemary and sage. They imported the commodities they thought essential to their diet such as olives and olive oil, dates, almonds, ginger, pepper, cinnamon and of course, wine. Interestingly, as this bulls head comes from the north of Britain, most of the cattle on the military sites in that area were of the shorthorn type, and it is known that beef was supplied as the meat ration for the Roman garrisons.