Even thought salt water fish can’t jump out of the water and ferment themselves, with a little effort, humans have been preparing fermented fish sauces and pastes for thousands of years. This week we explore fermented fish and the flavor of umami.
Do you think fish sauce is stinky? Are you afraid of MSG? Then this is the episode to listen to. We discuss fermented fish from different parts of the world and history. If you haven’t eaten or cooked with fermented fish before, then you might just be inspired to do so after listening to this conversation.
Show notes:
[Mainly Microbe - Meet Your Microbiome |
YouTube](https://youtu.be/4BZME8H7-KU) |
From PBS It’s OK To Be Smart, comes a short video introduction to your microbiome. You have anywhere from 2-5 pounds of bacteria on and in you. Most of them are in your gut and intestine. Learn more in this video.
[Taste Perception: Cracking the Code |
PLOS Biology](https://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0020064) |
Learn more about taste receptors, why we have the five tastes and a history of the tongue map.
[World Umami Map |
Umami Information Center](https://www.umamiinfo.com/2011/02/umami-culture-around-the-world.php) |
A map showing traditional and popular foods around the world that are high in the umami experience.
[What is Umami |
YouTube](https://youtu.be/R5aAICA2gm8?t=50s) |
An introductory video that explain more about MSG and Umami.
[Secret of tasty tomatoes revealed |
RSC](https://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2006/May/05050601.asp) |
This article discusses some preliminary work that was done comparing the level of umami in vine-ripened tomatoes compared to the average gas-ripened grocery store tomato.
[In Thailand, Love of Food Carries Deadly Risks |
NY Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/world/asia/26iht-thailand.html?_r=0) |
While fermented fish is generally safe, there is a fluke infested ferment in North and Northeast Thailand that accounts for the majority of liver cancer deaths in Thailand.
[Iron Chef Thailand - Battle Fermented Fish 1 |
YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHXwnYUK5c0) |
[Iron Chef Thailand - Battle Fermented Fish 2 |
YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc60z3edpjI) |
[Iron Chef Thailand - Battle Fermented Fish 3 |
YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmSGuUzJwrk) |
[Iron Chef Thailand - Battle Fermented Fish 4 |
YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78z3qJUzde4) |
[Iron Chef Thailand - Battle Fermented Fish 5 |
YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXekmrwbJHg) |
[Garum sauce by Heston Blumenthal |
YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPX8dpKG48M) |
A brief video about Garum along with a chef that attempts to make a fast food version of Garum.
[On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen |
Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684800012/fermup-20) |
[PopSci’s Friday Lunch: a Can of Surströmming With Harold McGee |
Popular Science](https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-04/popscis-friday-lunch-can-putrid-surströmming) |
Harold McGee smuggled Swedish surströmming into the US and shares the eating experience with another participant. That participant said “the experience was more like eating cured fish while sitting next to a dumpster than eating actually rotten fish.”
[5 Totally Hardcore Foods That Could Get You Arrested (Or Killed) |
This or That](https://thisorthat.com/blog/5-totally-hardcore-foods-that-could-get-you-arrested-or-killed) |
[The traditional Swedish way to eating surströmming |
YouTube](https://youtu.be/DmaedvVBkV8) |
A video showing a friendly backyard get-together in Sweden as people enjoy surströmming.
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