# Garum sauce



## Venusian Broon (Jul 13, 2018)

This isn't particularly ground-breaking, but the channel - Invicta - has been doing some very good 'everyday' episodes of Roman life. For example a look at the Roman armies supply chain and logistics, what legionaries ate and other nice topics, rather than the usual BATTLE 'X' and military campaign stuff (there's that stuff there too, of course!). So just a recommend to those that are interested.


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## Anthoney (Jul 13, 2018)

I've been watching these.


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## The Judge (Jul 13, 2018)

A nice introduction to it, though as you say not ground-breaking or particularly insightful.

I've always wondered about garum.  I've heard it described as stomach-churning, but even allowing for differences in taste I couldn't square its being so popular if it smelled and tasted so foul.


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## Venusian Broon (Jul 13, 2018)

The Judge said:


> A nice introduction to it, though as you say not ground-breaking or particularly insightful.
> 
> I've always wondered about garum.  I've heard it described as stomach-churning, but even allowing for differences in taste I couldn't square its being so popular if it smelled and tasted so foul.



I've used Thai fish sauce a fair bit - or whatever the supermarkets call the stuff in those bottles - for a while, so in my mind that's what I imagine it must be close to. It's pretty pungent and strong. But I get the niggling feeling, like yourself TJ, that the original garum was somehow even more extreme. 

Then again, Worchester sauce is really nice and it's really just the same sort of thing.


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## Anthoney (Jul 13, 2018)

People have loved all sorts of nasty foul things.  The whole hanging birds out until they get good an gamey makes me queasy but they did it.  Makes me think of Shogun when the hanging duck smelled so bad that the servant cut the bird down and threw it away then killed himself for touching the masters foul.


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## The Big Peat (Jul 13, 2018)

Venusian Broon said:


> I've used Thai fish sauce a fair bit - or whatever the supermarkets call the stuff in those bottles - for a while, so in my mind that's what I imagine it must be close to. It's pretty pungent and strong. But I get the niggling feeling, like yourself TJ, that the original garum was somehow even more extreme.
> 
> Then again, Worchester sauce is really nice and it's really just the same sort of thing.



You could make Fish Sauce a lot more extreme and I'd still use it.

Also, humans are weird, as pointed out. So little compares to the smell of Durian, yet its still incredibly popular in places...


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## Anthoney (Jul 13, 2018)

The Big Peat said:


> You could make Fish Sauce a lot more extreme and I'd still use it.



Typical modern fish sauce is fairly mild (the same for oyster sauce).  I often use a spritz in my ramen.  You can still find some stronger stuff if you shop at an Asian market.


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## Vince W (Aug 28, 2018)

Heston Blumenthal made Garum on an episode of Heston's Feasts.


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## Vladd67 (Aug 28, 2018)

I tend to buy fish sauce in 75cl bottles from a Chinese store in Milton Keynes But have also seen the same Thai brand in ASDA in the world food section. It goes in everything, lasagna, scrambled egg what ever a splash of Nam Pla works wonders.


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