Expert: Maria - 1/13/2005

Question
How did the Greek keep their food cold?

Answer
Hello,

First of all, I must tell you that the ancient Greeks used to eat fresh food like cheese, milk, olives, grapes, figs, bread, fish, seafood, a sauce that consisted of the strained liquid from salted down fish entrails,  and rarely meat which was used mostly for religious sacrifices.

When however they had to keep their food cold, they would  put it a cellar or in a cave which were the only cool places they had at their disposal.

Sometimes they could use other techniques   including  drying or better salting, responsible for keeping meat and fish palatable and at the ready, but  these were practices  of preserving food, not of keeping it cool.

Nothing else we can say about this matter.

Best regards
Maria