Thomas Cole’s “The Picnic.”
July is National Picnic month and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the beautiful summer (or winter if you’re in the southern hemisphere) weather than heading outside and enjoying a picnic inspired by antiquity. We’ve brought together some of our favorite Recipes With a Past that we think make a perfect picnic feast.
And of course, a picnic isn’t perfect without a beautiful setting in which to experience your delicious meal. Check out our post on Nature, Ecotherapy and a Peek into the Past Through National Parks to learn about the history of gardens, parks and natural public spaces. Maybe you’ll get a few ideas about where to stage your outing!
But first, the food!
What would you do if you were just going about your business, doing your job and suddenly you discovered a piece of history? Recently, a man in Ireland was faced with that very situation. As he was cutting turf from a bog, to be burned for warmth, he happened upon a 22-pound chunk of bog butter that is estimated to be over 2,000 years old! Of course, if he had read our blog post about ancient butter, he would have known that finding ancient “bog butter” really isn’t that unusual. This 22-pounder joins other finds, including 3,000-year-old and even 5,000-year-old samples.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a month of prayer and fasting, began last week and ends on July 5th. If you are observing Ramadan, you know that planning the Iftar and Suhur meals is key. While Ramadan has ancient roots, today many households are mixing their modern habits into the month. Health is a top priority for many families. Perhaps this year you’re trying to be a bit healthier in your observance and plan meals that are delicious and nutritious. It is important for these meals to provide all of the nutrition you need for the long days of fasting. For a list of healthy ideas, check out 
In the northern hemisphere, the first day of summer is rapidly approaching as the mercury climbs up the thermometer. The search is on for the most refreshing summer recipes to tickle your taste buds at cookouts, pool parties and sunny brunches. One fruit that is sure to put you in the summer spirit is honeydew melon. Bursting with flavor, this melon is versatile, delicious and ancient. Today we’re bringing you some juicy facts about the honeydew, along with a recipe that utilizes another of our favorite ancient ingredients, kefir (Don’t miss our 
It’s National Salad Month! Time to break out those salad spinners, dicers, choppers, mincers and shredders and fix up a delicious ancient salad. With all of the focus on health and nutrition these days, you might assume that salads are a fairly modern creation, but you would be so wrong. Those wild and crazy ancient Romans were noshing on this chilled dish long ago. And so many of today’s delicious and nutritious salads are built on ancient ingredients. So, check out our compilation of ancient salads below, beginning with the granddaddy of them all, Columella, created in the first century CE!
Ah, Paris in spring. What could be more glorious? Strolling the boulevards abloom with horse chestnut trees. Taking a boat ride down the Seine. Climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower or gazing rapturously at the Mona …. Wait a minute. What’s that delectable aroma? What are those people consuming with such gusto? Yes! Regard the street vendor deftly creating that culinary perfection. Lo and behold, it’s the inimitable crepe! 
Here’s how we’ve previously described why we take a month each year to give special attention to the past:
AntiquityNOW 