Oh, yum yum! The glory....that was Rome (distant trumpets begin tooting) (!
Colatura di Alici is an ancient Roman Sauce made by layering anchovy fillets and salt in wooden barrels, and then setting them aside in a temperature-controlled environment to ferment for a long time. During that time, the anchovies exude (Eeew) liquid that will age (Eeeeeew!) and become Colatura.
Drink it if you dare!
In Latin, garum, or sometimes liqueum.
ReplyDeleteWell, somone better get it for him. Or else.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Asian fish sauce...
ReplyDeleteMy brother found out the "joys" of "fish sauce(Eeeeeew!)" on a little "vacation" he took at government expense in SEA back in the day...(Eeeeeew!)was about the nicest thing he had to say about it.
ReplyDeleteAll this brought to mind the villain in Neal Stephenson's Baroque Trilogy. You know he's the villain because he eats rotten fish. I mean who in their right mind would eat rotten fish? I can't think of anything worse. At first I thought this was just a device Neal used to identify the villain: oh, yeah, old what's his name is back in the story again, the dirty scoundrel who eats rotten fish. I mean you don't really need to know anything else about him.
ReplyDeleteAnd then I stumbled over this article about Garum in Wikipedia. Evidently fermented fish is something of a delicacy that's been around for thousands of years. Some people still eat it. Weird.
The Duke of Arcachon was a great villain and got his just desserts.
DeleteDid you really slog through all 3,000 pages of that doorstop?
DeleteFermented fish provides the ultimate in Umami. Don’t knock til you try it.
ReplyDeleteNo anchovies please. The J. Geils Band I'll stick with that.
ReplyDeleteIf you like Thai or Vietnamese food you have already tasted this stuff. It is called Fish Sauce and gives many asian dishes their special aroma….
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember about nuoc mam, it's more of a stench, but I'll allow that opinions vary.
DeleteUse it like a seasoning or herb, ya don't drink the stuff. It's a flavor enhancer.
ReplyDeleteHave a friend who grew up in Burma (when it was still known as Burma), and likes to cook. You gave me a start when you said 'drink it'. VERY potent stuff, if its like the Asian stuff. Literally a couple drops in a big pot, even my wooden pallet can spot the (pleasant) difference. Asian also do this with shrimp/prawn. Spill it in your car and you might as well burn it.
ReplyDeletepalate
DeleteJust placed an order. Says it will arrive tomorrow? No way.
ReplyDeleteI have a bottle in the pantry. Not cheap.
ReplyDeleteused across the empire. in spain fish were placed in vats of water and allowed to rot, the scum produced on the surface gathered as a condiment.
ReplyDeleteActually it was sea water and the fish didn't rot, it fermented and the liquid part is the garum while solid was grinded to a paste named allec...
DeleteIsn't Worchestershire sauce made from fermented anchovies?
ReplyDeleteYes it is!
Deletewhatchdishere sauce?
DeleteMakes you wonder about moth balls
ReplyDelete- WDS
the discussion reminds me of swedish "lutefisk" or worse is their "surströmming". but when you're hungry youll be surprised at what you will eat & in hindsight even look at it as a delicacy. You know, like burying an egg until it gets good & rotten & then suckin' the innards out!!??
ReplyDelete