Ancient Roman digestive aid spice mix

The Oxygarum digestibile from Apicius collection of recipes is simple but good. Apart from resulting in a sauce that is great both as a dip and a marinade, it is also claimed to be an excellent digestion aid. The ingredients are fairly simple to come by, apart from the unclear identification of Gallic silphium. As this herb must come from the family of Apiaceae and it is supposed to help digestion, I went for wild fennel from the garden. I would propose dried dill or fennel greens as a handy substitute. You need: 1 TBSP each of pepper, caraway, cardamom (easier if already powdered), dried dill or fennel greens, 2 TBSP of dried mint, 1 bay leaf, 12 TBSP honey and some fish (or soy) sauce. Have you heard of my historical cookbook yet GARUM Recipes from the Past presents a range of dishes from ancient Mesopotamia up to the Renaissance. Or visit me on instagram at trullocicerone or my website at