IASA Anchovy Syrup Colatura di Alici di Cetara 100ml

I used the product for my homemade from scratch red pasta sauce. I have been making the same sauce for a couple of decades now. The only different ingredient I added this time was the Colatura anchovy syrup. OMG! It was a notable, wonderful difference! I was concerned as several had said how it smelled/stank as I have an extremely good sense of smell. I don't know what the people who complained about the smell were talking about. Just don't sniff it in the bottle. I cannot wait to see how this is in different sauces, etc. This will be a staple in our kitchen.

During the days of the Roman Empire, there was a fish sauce called Garum that Romans were wild about. This Colatura di Alici di Cetara is the direct descendant of that heady stuff. The coastal region around Naples is the heart of this incredible heirloom syrup.To make Colatura, Mediterranean anchovies are slow cured in salt. The liquid that is produced as a result is carefully collected over a period of many months. Finally, it is aged in oak barrels for several years before being filtered and bottled. The process is exacting, and must be so to earn the approval of the age old guild that oversees such things - Fundamentally the same rigid controls that govern the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or balsamic vinegar from Modeno. In Cetara, where this syrup is produced, families hand the business from generation to generation with great reverence.Adding a bit of this stuff to butter, lemon, capers, and a shake of hot chile flake makes an incredible pasta sauce. A dash or two in home made Caesar dressing brings a whole new level of delicious to light. You can use this syrup anywhere that calls for anchovy paste, or nuoc cham - You'll get the umami you're after with a surprising degree of elegance.

I love anchovies.... our local pizzas shop does not offer them, so when we order pizza, I sprinkle a little of this on top and it's perfect! I also like to put a little in my Caesar salad dressing or carry it in my purse if I am going out for Italian food at dinner. (Be sure the stopper is in really tightly if you do that though ! LOL If you love anchovies... you'll love this!

A bit pricy, but I was curious about the taste of ancient Roman foods. Several sources told me that this was a close approximation of garum, the universal seasoning of ancient Rome. Have used it in several dishes (somewhat sparingly, as my wife is a bit timid) and it imparts an interesting, briny quality. Worth the gamble!

While it is a good anchovy paste and I will use it myself I wanted the pretty bottle for a gift so the one for for deceptive picture not taste. I would have bought my normal version if I just wanted it for myself.

Came in a regular dark glass bottle.Smells good though.

I add one teaspoon. You don't need much. I only use it in my red sauce. Nice, real nice!

If you've ever read a recipe from Ancient Rome, whether actually ancient or updated by a modern culinary artist, you will probably find an ingredient called "liquamen" or "garam." You'll hear horrible descriptions of is as "fermented anchovies," or some other putridity, which this stuff actually *is*. Don't let that deter you! The actual flavor is mild! Maybe a teensy-tiny bit aquatic, but I swear, there is something magic in this stuff! It encapulates the idea of a universal flavor enhancer that the Japanese call "umami." Like salt, anything "umami" imparts not its own flavor, but it enhances the food's own flavor. It is not strong. It is not fishy. But drizzle it on fish, beef, pork, roasted anything, whatever was in the room before I got there...? It's etherial! Best not to try it that way. Do so slowly. The drink will make most anyone most handy.