25 nanci recipes

Pound cake slices draped in a cloud-light mascarpone sauce with brandy, whipped egg whites, and fresh berries. An Italian-style dessert that looks fancy but takes 20 minutes.

Microwave orange chicken roulade with cinnamon-rice stuffing, finished with a glossy orange juice sauce and broken walnuts. A 30-minute dinner that looks dinner-party fancy.

Soutzoukos, traditional Greek and Cypriot grape-walnut candy rolls made by dipping strung walnuts into thickened grape must, then drying for days. An ancient, chewy, fruit-leather classic.

Sirloin strips seared with portobello mushrooms and scallions in a silky sour cream and balsamic gravy. Stroganoff that looks fancy but comes together in minutes.

Rosatum is an ancient Roman rose wine made with red wine, honey, rose water, and fresh rose petals. A fragrant, no-cook punch bowl drink for elegant gatherings.

Cato's grape bread recreates an ancient Roman recipe with feta, cumin, anise, and grape juice baked over fragrant bay leaves. A 2,000-year-old loaf with rustic Mediterranean character.

An ancient Roman bread recipe from Cato the Elder: grape juice, feta, lard, cumin, and anise baked on bay leaves. A fascinating taste of history you can bake at home.

Nicomedes' anchovy, an ancient Roman culinary trick: blanched turnip slices shaped like anchovy filets, dressed with olive oil, salt, and poppy seeds to mimic fish without fish. Brilliant vegetarian party piece.

If you omit the raw egg, you still get a nice sauce. According to an ancient proverb, "Garlic is as good as 10 mothers." If the latest flu bug has hit your house--and whose has escaped--you may be ready to test claims for garlic's medicinal powers.