On: The Mystery of a Lost Roman Herb

[_mhyx]

Garum also lives on as Worcestershire sauce, which unlike colatura is still fermented. I'm happy you showed me this, it's incredible to see living Roman history, still 2,000 miles apart!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcestershire_sauce

[dekhn → _mhyx]

I remember looking at the ingredient list as a kid and wondering why in the world you would put fermented fish in a sauce.

Then I learned biology, in particular the molecular nature of umami, and it makes perfect sense.

[triplesec → dekhn]

Fish sauce of course is a Thai and far east staple!

[thekaleb → triplesec]

The book The History of Salt says that soy sauce originally started out as fermented fish sauce and that it and garum may have a common ancestor.

[Mikeb85 → thekaleb]

They were more than likely developed independently. Putting a bunch of fish in a container and adding salt seems pretty standard pre-refrigeration.

[jacobolus → thekaleb]

I recommend this lecture about the history of ketchup, which explains the relation to soy sauce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iYwUh1Hdho

[abakker → thekaleb]

Also the basis of Sambal sauces from Indonesia. I think thy may be shrimp based, though.