27/06/2026
With our strictly Victorian produce policy at Bar Midland, we often find ourselves dreaming about ingredients that are commonplace in restaurant kitchens but unavailable to purchase locally. Fish sauce is one of them. So, naturally, we make our own.
For the past seven months, we’ve been producing garum—the ancient Roman fish sauce—using occasional harvests of anchovies and sardines sourced from the Corner Inlet Fishermen’s Co-op.
Garum is created through a carefully controlled process of salting and maturation. Rather than fermentation in the conventional sense, the fish undergo enzymatic breakdown, where naturally occurring enzymes gradually convert proteins into amino acids and other flavour compounds. The result is a deeply savoury liquid rich in umami, prized for its complexity and depth.
Starting our first batch during December’s blistering summer proved beneficial, with the warmer temperatures accelerating the maturation process. We have finally begun using our anchovy colatura in winter broths.
Our March and June batches are now quietly progressing. Each requires precise salt-to-fish ratios to ensure safe maturation and to achieve the balance of flavour, texture and aroma we’re aiming for.
