The Story of Garum: Fermented Fish Sauce and Salted Fish in the Ancient World

Name: The Story of Garum: Fermented Fish Sauce and Salted Fish in the Ancient World
Price: 233.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781138284074

✍️ Grainger, Sally

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$233.99

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Ingredients

📚 EDITORIAL REVIEW

“If you are a culinary historian, an experimental archaeologist, or a fiercely curious home cook eager to recreate authentic Roman banquets, this book is for you. Casual weeknight cooks looking for quick family dinners or standard pantry staples will find themselves entirely out of their depth.

— Editorial Team

Author

Grainger, Sally

📚 all books by this author (2) →

🏛 Routledge 📅 2020 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781138284074

📚 This Book in Collections

🎁 Hardcovers worth giving 🫙 Preserving & fermenting

📝 Description: The Story of Garum: Fermented Fish Sauce and Salted Fish in the Ancient World

The Story of Garum recounts the convoluted journey of that notorious Roman fish sauce, known as garum, from a smelly Greek fish paste to an expensive luxury at the heart of Roman cuisine and back to obscurity as the Roman empire declines.

💎 Expert review

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🍳

Eatbook Family editorial team

Cookbook desk

This title is strictly for the historically minded diner or academic enthusiast, not the casual baker seeking quick recipes. The provided description highlights its focus on garum’s journey rather than practical application, suggesting a dense, narrative-driven approach to food history. It will likely disappoint readers expecting contemporary cooking guidance or detailed technical manuals for modern fermentation. However, for those fascinated by the intersection of commerce, culture, and cuisine in the Roman world, it provides essential background. The book stands as a specialized study on ingredients rather than a cookbook, best suited for shelves dedicated to cultural cuisines and food writing history.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Eatbook Family —

⭐ eatbookfamily.com editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you are a culinary historian, an experimental archaeologist, or a fiercely curious home cook eager to recreate authentic Roman banquets, this book is for you. Casual weeknight cooks looking for quick family dinners or standard pantry staples will find themselves entirely out of their depth.

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Eatbook Family editorial team

This title is strictly for the historically minded diner or academic enthusiast, not the casual baker seeking quick recipes. The provided description highlights its focus on garum’s journey rather than practical application, suggesting a dense, narrative-driven approach to food history. It will likely disappoint readers expecting contemporary cooking guidance or detailed technical manuals for modern fermentation. However, for those fascinated by the intersection of commerce, culture, and cuisine in the Roman world, it provides essential background. The book stands as a specialized study on ingredients rather than a cookbook, best suited for shelves dedicated to cultural cuisines and food writing history.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this is a deep historical dive and culinary study rather than a heavily illustrated, modern step-by-step cookbook.

Not quite—recreating these historic dishes requires specialty ingredients like salted fish or artisanal fish sauces, often requiring online purveyors or specialty markets.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Garum stands as the legendary, ancient Roman cornerstone of umami, evolving from humble Greek origins into a prized luxury before fading with the empire. This text explores how this fermented fish sauce shaped ancient Mediterranean gastronomy, offering a deep dive into the historical roots and culinary techniques of the classical world.