When I visited their Ali Baba's cave of an HQ in #Montreal yesterday, I asked the Spice Hunters / Chasseurs d'épices Ethne and Philippe de Vienne of @epicesdecru what some of the great but little appreciated spices were...
This one is beautiful: marigold petals, which in Georgia (the European Georgia, bien sûr) are used in cuisine; ground to add colour to soups and rice dishes; often used with dill and coriander.
This is Piper longum, long pepper, prized by the ancient Romans, and a staple until the Columbian exchange brought chiles to the old world. (This from #Nigeria.) Way different from Piper negrum, yer garden-variety black pepper. Can't wait to grind it in a mortar!
Rosita de cacao, from a Mexican tree known for medicinal qualities; Philippe says it's absolutely delicious in tejate, traditional chocolate-maize drink .
(Here's the same plant on an ancient Mayan drinking vessel...)
After making my own garum, I've put it to good use making a 2,000-year-old recipe: Aliter lenticulam ("Lentils Another Way") from Apicius.
Definitely the best lentil dish I've ever made—and incredibly unusual flavour palate. The Romans were on to something! Here’s how I did it…
Here's the whole recipe. No measurements provided! The recipes in Apicius, attributed to a 1st-century AD gourmand, are short on details...and literary style.
"Cook the lentils, skim them, strain..."
Keeping it Mediterranean, I used Greek lentils, about 300 grams, soaked overnight (not in the recipe, but, c'mon!)
It's took a long time—4 months of fermentation, in fact—but I made my own garum (or more accurately, liquamen), under the supervision of the world's leading archaeological authority on the subject. (Looking at you, Sally!) Here's how I did it...
(thread)
I started with small, whole sardines, purchased frozen and then left to thaw (from a Portuguese grocery in #Montreal)
Then I added salt, "Pope's Salt" from Cervia in #Italy, but any sea salt will do: 20% of the weight of the fish, or 77 grams. #garum