Quezi

Meal Preparation Wall Fragment Julio Claudian Period - courtesy Joe Geranio - CC-BY

Gourmet cooking is not just restricted to the modern world.  The art of cooking reached an advanced state, even during prehistoric eras, and recipes were already highly developed when the written word first began.

One of the most popular sauces and seasonings in the ancient Roman world was garum ( liquamen ).  And like many other so called Roman  ideas, it was borrowed from the Greeks. Apicius used it in all his recipes, and the poet Martial wrote of it.

Common knowledge has it as a stinky, disgusting concoction of rotted fish.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Garum had a mild, and according to some, quite a pleasant odor.  If it stunk, it was spoiled.

Of course it did smell bad during the manufacturing process, to the point that in many places it was against the law to make garum at home.

Top grade garum should be fermented from one type of fish only, such as mackerel.  Martial considered that to be the best kind of garum. He also tells us that tuna garum, which he calls “muria,” was of second quality. Garum could also be fermented from any old fish found at the bottom of the net and this is defined as the third and lowest quality.

If you want to cook an authentic Roman dish  you’ll need this sauce. It is used in much the same way as our Worcestershire Sauce,  you add it in small quantities to a dish. The fish sauce is not meant to be used as a sauce on its own.

There are two ways to acquire garum or similar fish sauces. You can buy Eastern fish sauces, such as the Vietnamese Nuoc Mam or the Thai Nam Pla. These sauces are made with fermented fish, salt and water. But you can also make your own garum.  It really is quite tasty and wonderful on a burger or steak.

First, cook a quart of grape juice and reduce it to one-tenth its original volume. Then dilute two tablespoons of anchovy paste in the concentrated juice and mix in a pinch of oregano.  Salt to taste.

Modern Worcestershire sauce also has fermented anchovies in it, so the Roman fish sauce is not as odd, or as far removed from our own tables as it sounds.

For more information about ancient Roman cooking.