SC - Definition

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Nick Sasso (fra niccolo) wrote:

>    "liquamen":  another name for garum.  A fermented fish sauce used in
> ancient Rome.  Made by layering in a well sealed barrel, fatty fish such
> as mackerel or sardine, strong herbs, and about
> 1 1/2" of salt.  Layer this until the barrel is filled and seal.  Leave
> in the sun for about seven days.  After this fermentation, stir daily
> for 2-3 weeks until it has turned to liquid.

Bear in mind that there's  more than one recipe available for liquamen.
Some of them omit the "strong herbs" (some recipes specify oregano, but
others specify only fish and salt). Some also call for whole fish, and
others call for fish entrails.
 
> You'll find a detailed description of various methods and varieties on
> pages 27-29 in _A Taste of Ancient Rome_ by Giacosa.  I have used
> oriental fish sauce, but it lacks the punch described of the original.

That would be hard to say for sure until you had experienced the punch
of the original. It would also depend on _what_ oriental fish sauce you
are referring to. There are dozens, some made from the whole fish or
fish entrails as mentioned above, and some made from cleaned fish. Some
are made from shrimp. Asia is a big place, and every hundred miles or so
you come to a place where they think the people you just saw a hundred
miles back are jerks who couldn't make fish sauce if their lives
depended on it. :  ) Variations on a central theme are therefore common.

> Maybe adding the strong herbs to steep for a while in the fish sauce
> would help.  Ant other suggestions would be appreciated as this is a
> common Roman condiment in cooking.

That's just about the only solution I can think of, unless you make the
stuff yourself. I'm not so sure about how much kick actual Roman
liquamen might or might not have had, actually. There are recipes that
call for adding it to wine as a beverage, IIRC. It might be a question
of total effect, where you use a lot to get a powerful effect, and less
for a more subtle approach.

Adamantius