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Garum has been bringing the umami flavor for centuries.

Jenny LunaJul. 23, 2017 6:00 AM

During the early morning hours at the ports of the Mediterranean, circa 50 A.D, fishermen would haul hundreds of anchovies, mackerel, and tuna back to shore, gut the carcasses, and leave them on the docks. As the sun heated the day, the fish entrails began to ferment. Its not exactly the most appetizing scene to imagine, but it was the way thatearly chefs concocted one of the most highly sought-after sauce in ancient Rome: garum.

[People] would move the fish outside of the city because it created such a stench, says Tom Nealon, an antique cookbook collector and the author ofFood Fights & Culture Wars: A Secret History of Taste. On the latest episode ofBite,we talked toNealon about his attempt to recreate an ancient recipe that incorporated garum (sneak preview: It didnt go very well). The interview with Nealon begins at 11:15:

Garum, orcolatura di alici,wasnt unlike South Asian fish sauce, a condiment that gives Thai and Vietnamese food its distinctive umami flavor. In ancient Rome, the highest-quality garum was saved for elites, the lower quality for slaves.

Engraving of fisherman, 18th Century

Wellcome Library, London/ Courtesy of The Overlook Press

But Garum brought more than a distinctive flavor to 3rd and 4th century cuisineit also helped historians put a precise date on the fall of Pompeii. According to Pompeiis Applied Research Laboratory, when leftover jars of rotten fish bones and entrails were discoveredat the site of one of the ancient citys producers, they were referenced against written accounts to confirm the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24 of 79 A.D.

If youre hungry for a taste from the past, its not too late to get a robustly savory dish made with garum. Companies in Italys Amalfi Coast still honor tradition and produce the sauce, and US restaurantslikeAva Genes in Portland now import bottles.

To hear more from Nealon and discover other ancient recipes inspired by Season 7 ofGame of Thrones,listen to our latest episode ofBite.

Jenny Luna is a Ben Bagdikian fellow at Mother Jones. She covers education and immigration and her work has appeared in the Miami Herald, WNYC, and the Wilson Quarterly. Follow her on Twitter @J2theLuna or email her at jluna@motherjones.com.

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Original post:
How a Smelly Fish Sauce Helped Solve One of Ancient Rome's Mysteries - Mother Jones