Garum - A Must-Have Kitchen Ingredient

Hailing from the bounty-rich region of South Tyrol in Northern Italy, Garum is a natural, zero-waste, healthy and fermented kitchen ingredient that will change how we eat and improve the food chain.  

Garum is the brainchild of Mattia (the inventor), Stephanie (CEO and driver of the brand) and Gregor (experienced kitchen chef and creative entrepreneur). Creating enhanced flavour for our meals combined with a solution for food waste is the essence of Garum. This natural fermentation supplement acts as a support vehicle for your everyday foodie encounters. Garum is a healthier, more eco-friendly, and impactful food, replacing the often heavily salted flavour enhancers, such as stock, bouillon, soy sauce, and other MSG products that we know have high salt content and other undesirable additives. The result is naturally flavoursome food which is healthy for our guts.

 

Perhaps not a surprise, but this ingenious idea hails from South Tyrol, a region known for its deep respect for nature, food as medicine and slow food revolution, which means meats, cheeses and traditional dishes taste notably delicious. 

The process in which Garum is made employs a clever sustainable economy, whereby food waste is collected and added to vast jars where, alongside an East Asian fungus called koji, a fermentation process occurs over time, allowing the concentrated liquid to become drops we can sprinkle on our food during cooking, whether that’s marinating meat or fish, adding to soups and risottos or simply elevating everyday salads. 

The core detail behind Garum is the research element which pushes the enhancer to perform to its best ability, and Garum has a research lab at the NOI Tech Park in Bolzano, Italy, where tests in conjunction with the Laimburg Institute push the boundaries of their concept. You can also have a firsthand taste of Garum on a Garum Experience tour with Mattia and Gregor, where you enter a world of futuristic gastronomy, exploring the lab before enjoying an experimental menu of natural food and drinks. 

Garum comes in five different flavours, allowing it to cater to all tastes, allergens and specific foodie requirements for certain recipes. Beef Garum is similar to beef stock, with only pure natural ingredients, made from meat sourced from local butcher shops in South Tyrol. Chicken Garum uses retired organic laying hens from South Tyrol, while Fish is sourced from suppliers in the Veneto region. Milk has more specific uses while Vegetable can be used widely and liberally in your meals. 

Order online, in selected stores or in South Tyrol - this good-for-all staple should be in the pantry of all well-sourced kitchen supplies.