Fish Sauce.
Growing up in Bangkok Thailand gave me a lot of exposure to lots of different customs and cuisine. In Thailand they use Fish sauce like we use salt here and the Chinese use Soy Sauce. Though Fish Sauce (Nam Pla in Thai or Nuoc Mam in Vietnamese) tastes nothing like soy sauce. When we moved back to the USA in 1972, we brought our last bottle of fish sauce with us. I never realized how valuable that bottle would be, but it ran out in less than 2 months. For over 15 years I would not taste that flavor again until Thai food became popular in the US. I used that fish sauce on any meal even remotely Asian. If you have ever tasted it, you know it has a flavor all its own. Thai people use it for everything and All the average and crappy brands were available first. About a year ago, I started seeing the ultra premium brand from my childhood. Golden Boy brand. I bought a case of 24 oz bottles, LOL. I don't like running out.
The Greeks invented fish sauce and gave the secret of making it to the Romans who became absolutely obsessed with it. They called it Garum or Liquamen. The Romans used Garum on just about everything. Hell, they even mixed it with wine (that'd be too big a stretch even for me) The Romans gave the secret of making Garum to the people of Thailand, who love its flavor just as much.
During those 15 years I could not get fish sauce, I truly lamented its loss. No food ever tasted as good as the Thai food I missed so much.
My box of 12 bottles arrived today. I promised a bottle to my dad and one to my brother Rick. Both of them were ecstatic that I bought so much. My sister passed on her own bottle, as she was never that fond of it.
Welcome back, Nam Pla. I sure missed you!
The Greeks invented fish sauce and gave the secret of making it to the Romans who became absolutely obsessed with it. They called it Garum or Liquamen. The Romans used Garum on just about everything. Hell, they even mixed it with wine (that'd be too big a stretch even for me) The Romans gave the secret of making Garum to the people of Thailand, who love its flavor just as much.
During those 15 years I could not get fish sauce, I truly lamented its loss. No food ever tasted as good as the Thai food I missed so much.
My box of 12 bottles arrived today. I promised a bottle to my dad and one to my brother Rick. Both of them were ecstatic that I bought so much. My sister passed on her own bottle, as she was never that fond of it.
Welcome back, Nam Pla. I sure missed you!