Okay. Wow. Okay. So. Max Miller has a new video out revisiting garum, the ancient roman fish sauce/condiment, because he finally had the time and space (especially space) to properly ferment some garum himself in the roman style. And it's all very cool, and go watch it. But. I have to mention this, because it's fantastic and I nearly threw up, and I want other people to suffer with me. He has a lovely little quote from the 1st century roman poet Marcus Manilius describing the process of making garum (which is, again, fermented fish juice made in salt), and it's fantastically horrid:
“Their inward parts melt and issue forth as a stream of decomposition … Here a precious exudate flows out, which vomits up the flower of the gore, and mixed with salt, balances taste in the mouth.”
Astronomica, Marcus Manilius
Now. I don't know who translated that to English, and how much they were embellishing in their turn, but whatever combination of original poet and later translator put that sequence of words together in that order, that is horrendous, no notes, absolutely excellent job. I nearly threw up. Good god.
I just want people to suffer with me. What a spectacular sequence of utterly horrifying words.
I think you just got a shoutout on Tasting History with Max Miller?
I did! In the Robin Hood episode! It was very cool.
I love Max - we emailed for a while before that episode, and hung out at a wine tasting event at the Getty! I may see if I can nudge him into doing something for an upcoming academic book project... :D :D