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Secrets of Lost Empires

Mulsum
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Romans were not averse to drinking alcohol, a habit they carried into the public baths. The Roman philosopher Seneca and the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder both opposed drinking at the baths. The poet Martial complains about one sloppy bather who "doesn't know how to go home from the baths sober." The sweet Roman drink mulsum, a mixture of wine and honey, is one of the mixtures that might have contributed to this particular man's drunken evenings.

Modern Recipe: Mulsum
Warm 1/2 cup clear honey and add it to a bottle of medium-dry white wine. Chill before serving.

- reprinted from The Classical Cookbook




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