GARUM

Garum has long been considered the dodo of gastronomic history. The fishy sauce was beloved by the ancient Greeks and Romans. “We bought the anchovies fresh from fishing boats at a local pier,” Palacios says. “We used three parts fish for one part salt.” When small fish start to decay, the bacterial flora in their guts burst through cell walls, initiating the process of autolysis. The fish essentially digest themselves, liquefying the proteins in muscle tissue. The presence of salt slows this fermentation process, promoting lactic acid bacteria that defeat pathogens and such foul-smelling toxins as cadaverine and putrescine. (Too much salt stops autolysis altogether; too little invites botulism.) Palacios’ team found that the result, after 25 days, was a paste of dissolved fish bones    Long regarded as the dodo of culinary history, Garum. The ancient Greeks and Romans adored the fish sauce. According to Palacios, "We purchased the anchovies fresh from fishing boats at a nearb...