Difference between modern fish sauce and Roman fish sauce, or difference between low and high quality garum?
I don’t know the methods of making modern fermented fish sauce, but the big difference with garum quality was location/fish. I forget which kind exactly, but there was a particular fish off the coast of modern-day Portugal which was extremely highly valued as an ingredient for expensive garum, whereas cheap garum would often use a lot of small (and different species of) fish mashed in together. “We made this out of whatever we had, except for the best catches; those went to make good garum” sort of thing.
Fermented foodstuffs can get really complicated, but then again the nitty-gritty of modern wine and beer making usually dates back no further than the medieval period. So, I guess I shouldn’t be to surprised they were mostly interested in ingredients, and something like brand.
Do we know what the difference was, in recipe or production technique?
Difference between modern fish sauce and Roman fish sauce, or difference between low and high quality garum?
I don’t know the methods of making modern fermented fish sauce, but the big difference with garum quality was location/fish. I forget which kind exactly, but there was a particular fish off the coast of modern-day Portugal which was extremely highly valued as an ingredient for expensive garum, whereas cheap garum would often use a lot of small (and different species of) fish mashed in together. “We made this out of whatever we had, except for the best catches; those went to make good garum” sort of thing.
Yes, the latter. Thank you.
Fermented foodstuffs can get really complicated, but then again the nitty-gritty of modern wine and beer making usually dates back no further than the medieval period. So, I guess I shouldn’t be to surprised they were mostly interested in ingredients, and something like brand.