A discovery of a carbonised bread-ring leaves us with many unanswered questions, but one culinary archaeologist has traced its roots and recreated its recipe. It was shortly after midday when the baker stepped out of the front door of his shop onto a small side street. He needed fresh air and […]
Roman Empire by Train is Now Airing on Channel 4 Last summer, I had the pleasure of joining Professor Alice Roberts for an episode of Channel 4’s binge-worthy TV show, Roman Empire by Train. Filmed in Turin, our conversation explored one of the most fundamental foods of the ancient world: […]
Our 2025 Pompeii Master Class at The Old School Kitchen came to a close on 31 May, and what an unforgettable week it was! Together we baked, cooked, laughed, hiked, explored Pompeii and Herculaneum, examined archaeological evidence first-hand, and shared countless conversations around the table.
A Pompeii è stato scoperto un nuovo affresco raffigurante una focaccia italiana. L’archeologa culinaria Farrell Monaco propone una ricetta per prepararla e spiega perché non è una pizza.
Have you ever had an experience when you were out for dinner and a dish was served that, when it hit your palate, sent you reeling on a sensory roller-coaster back to a time and place in your life that was associated with someone that you loved dearly? I have, but I never expected it to happen to me within the sphere of my research. After all, ancient Roman food has nothing to do with my Swedish grandmother and her Ukrainian friends, right?… Wrong.
On 27 June, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii announced that a new fresco depicting a focaccia (an Italian flatbread) had been discovered. In recent years, the site has begun excavating previously unexplored areas of the once bustling town that was buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
Just a few hours ago, on 27 June 2023, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii announced that a fresco of ‘mensa’ flatbread has been discovered during the ongoing excavations of Insula 10 of Region 9! And I am so excited that I cannot sleep! (…it’s 3:24 am in Malibu).
La scoperta dell’anello di pane carbonizzato a Pompeii ci lascia con molte domande senza risposta, ma un archeologo culinario ha rintracciato le sue radici e identificato la ‘ciambella’ di Pompeii.
Farrell Monaco è una pluripremiata archeologa classica e food-writer la cui ricerca si incentra su cibo, preparazioni gastronomiche, e pane e pasticceria del Mediterraneo di epoca romana. Ha conseguito una Laurea con lode ed un Master con lode presso l’Università di Leichester in Gran Bretagna, ed è attualmente una ricercatrice in procinto di conseguire il Dottorato di Ricerca.
What did bread from ancient Pompeii taste like? Farrell Monaco knows. The experimental archaeologist replicates ancient technologies and specific ingredients, even growing her own starters, to bring to life the breads that ancient Pompeiians would have eaten. But recreating the bread goes beyond culinary curiosity—baking it is a way to understand how one simple food item can bring people together, a practice that resonates today, even as it did once in Pompeii.
Have you ever wanted to experience the foods of Ancient Rome? Now you can! Farrell Monaco is a Roman archaeologist, baker, and writer whose research centers on food from the Roman Mediterranean.
Join award winning archaeologist and food-writer, Farrell Monaco, for an ancient Roman culinary master class at Eataly Los Angeles! Embark on a journey into the beauty, simplicity, and sophistication of Roman breads, sweets, and pastries. Then explore various types of archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that provide archaeologists with clues as […]
About the author:
Farrell Monaco is an award-winning Classical archaeologist and food-writer whose research centers on food, food preparation, and bread in the Roman Mediterranean. She writes regularly on the role of food and food preparation in Roman daily life on her site, Tavola Mediterranea, and publishes in both English and Italian. Farrell has also written exclusively for Atlas Obscura and BBC Travel. Her work has been featured prominently by National Geographic, Popular Science, The Atlantic, the BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Economist, Esquire Magazine, SAPIENS Magazine, Saveur Magazine and Milk Street.
