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Liquamen was a Roman fish sauce.

Liquamen may originally have been a fish sauce different from the other Roman fish sauce, Garum. Some speculate that unlike Garum, Liquamen was originally just made from whatever fish and fish bits. The Romans were real snobs about food, and the fact that it wasn't recorded in the 1st century AD may be that they didn't think it was worth talking about, though that is pure speculation.

By the 400s, though, the word Garum had disappeared from usage, and been replaced by Liquamen. Apicius uses Liquamen in his recipes in the 300s. It may have just become a generic word for fish sauce.

Though there were many centres of Liquamen manufacture, such as Portugal and Spain, whose sauces were prized and sent all over the Empire, the Empire was a big place, and many people would have made their own versions with the fish they had to hand. Neither Garum nor Liquamen would have had a strong fishy taste at all, unlike today's fish sauces.

In the 900s, the Byzantines were still making Liquamen. It disappeared, though, when Byzantium was conquered and occupied by the Muslims.

Substitutes
The thing to remember about Liquamen is that in fact it would not have tasted very fishy (see entry on Garum). Some suggest for 2 oz (50 ml) Liquamen substitute 1/2 tsp salt plus 2 oz (50 ml) white wine.

Also called:

See Also:

Allec, Garum, Muria

Other entries for:

Fish Sauces
Allec, Garum Ibericum, Garum, Liquamen, Muria, Pissala

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Sauces
Aillade, Albert Sauce, Allemande Sauce, Amazu Sauce, Awasezu, A.1. Steak Sauce, Banquière Sauce, Barbeque Sauce, Beurre Blanc, Béarnaise Sauce, Black Mint Sauce, Brown Butter, Brown Sauce (English), Butter Sauce, Chile con Queso, Chippie Sauce, Chiri-zu Sauce, Coronation Sauce, Creamed Horseradish, Drawn Butter Sauce, Espagnole Sauce, Finadene Sauce, Gravy, Halford Sauce, Harissa, Hoisin Sauce, Hollandaise Sauce, Horseradish Sauce, Ketchup, Ketjap Manis, Marie Rose Sauce, Matelote Sauce, Melted Butter, Meunière Butter, Mint Sauce, Mojo Sauces, Mojo (Cuban), Mole, Murri, Nikiri Sauce, Nitsume Sauce, Noisette Butter, Normande Sauce, Paloise Sauce, Panade à la frangipane, Parisienne Sauce, Pasta Sauce, Pique Criollo, Pizza Sauce, Poivrade Sauce, Ponzu Sauce, Provençal Sauce, Reform Sauce, Rémoulade Sauce, Rice Wine, Salad Dressings, Salmuera, Salsas, Sambals, Sambi-Zu Sauce, Sanbai Zu Sauce, Sauce Béarnaise, Sauce Diane, Sauce Maltaise, Soubise Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Sushi-zu, Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce, Tabasco, Tamari, Tapenade, Tartar Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Tonkatsu Sauce, Vatapá, Velouté Sauce, Walnut Sauce, White Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, XO Sauce, Yakiniku Sauce, Yakitori Sauce

Other entries for: Condiments

Liebig's Extract of Meat, Pastes, Relish, Salt, Spreads, Tracklements, Vinegar