[Ides of March Meal]

Edible dormice. Petronius says glaze them with honey and roll them in poppy seeds. Delightful!

Apicius says stuff them with a mixture of ground pork, dormouse meat trimmings, pepper, nuts, asafoteida and fish sauce - then roast or broil them. He always was a bit fussier in his recipes than Petronious and they both try to out-dress the other, too. Silk togas, flannel togas, and once even a see-through one made from macrame flax. I won't tell you which fellow that was, or, what happened during the feast when he wore it.

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I'd be quite up for a feast like Trimalchio's - especially with the ceremonial slaying of the stuffed wild boar!

I don't think that fondling the waitors would go down too well these days though...

[Ides of March Meal]

Other than having men around you who are fat, what might be appropriate fare to commemorate the Ides of March?

Caesar Salad is a given, as well as Julianne Potatos or other vegetables?

You can drink an Orange Julius.  

Roman Meal Bread would be good.

And, (extra credit if you get this one), Hash?

SB (just don't be fooled into inviting Yon Cassius, despite his lean and hungry look)

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OK this is a guess too, but the word 'assassin' comes from Hashshashin. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashshashin. Hence hash is appropriate?

[Making your own vegetable stock]

Well thanks for the wealth of information - I shall certainly be using the recipe you posted for me Ludja when I want to make a special stock.

It looks as though the problems could be the carrot peelings, broccole stems and myriad vegetable seeds I tip in.

As for turning the heat off - I don't actually do that. I simmer the whole lot for 90 mins, strain and reduce until the flavour is sufficiently concentrated.

I'm hoping to get the art down because I like the idea of 'something for nothing' which comes from using the discarded vegetable bits. The only vegetables I like to add whole are shitake mushrooms - they seem to really 'beef' up the flavour (literally, in fact).

Once again - your replies are really appreciated guys :-)

[Making your own vegetable stock]

Hi,

since we started getting our vegetable box delivered each week I began saving the ends of vegetables (leeks, carrots, onion skins, broccoli ends et cetera) and putting them into a freezer bag. When the bag is full I simmer and then reduce the whole lot as a stock and put it in a tupperware container.

The problem is that the stock invariably ends up quite bitter. I'm not placing potatos, stalks or garlic into the stock so what am I doing wrong? Does anybody else make stock from vegetable peelings like this and have you got any tips to share?

Many thanks,

Will