Cheesecake From Ancient Greece

The first cheesecake was created in Ancient Greece, even though the first appearance of the modern cheesecake (see above) was in New York.

Cheese moulds dating from 2000 BC were excavated on the Greek island of Samos and the writer Athenaeus is credited with writing the first Greek cheesecake recipe in 230 AD - the oldest known surviving Greek recipe. The physician Aegimus also wrote a book on the art of making cheesecakes.

It is believed to have been served to athletes at the first Olympic Games in 776 BC as it was considered to be a good source of energy. Cheesecake was also used as a wedding cake in ancient times.

The recipe? Pretty basic, but it nevertheless sounds healthy.

"Pound the cheese until it is smooth and pasty - mix the pounded cheese in a brass pan with honey and spring wheat flour - heat the cheese cake 'in one mass' - allow to cool then serve."

So now you know!

Images: Wikipedia Commons
 

Did You Know? Greek Culinary Firsts

Did you know that the first cookbook was written by an Ancient Greek?

That the tall ,white chef's hat originated in Greece?

The Greek food gourmet, Archestratos, was a poet from Gela in Sicily. He wrote his humorous, didactic poem Hedypatheia - 'Life of Luxury' - in 330 B.C. The work gives advice to its readers on where to find the best food in the Mediterranean. 

The tall, chef's hat originated in the Greek Orthodox monasteries during the middle ages.To escape persecution, some cooks, along with other educated members of society, would take refuge in monasteries. The cooks wore white uniforms and tall white hats to distinguish them in their work from the regular monks, who wore large black hats. They also didn't wish to offend God by imitating their pious black-clad peers.

So, now you know!