Petrichor, 33 Kilometers of Burgundy Tape, Acceptance, and Again, Surrendering to the Flow
A Third Coast Fish Tail…
Previous to our endeavor to nurture a living process into my very favorite cooking tool, Fish Sauce, and the ethereal ocean song of mingling and sumptuous smells it produces in large quantities were Grand Cru Burgundy and, most elusive, Petrichor.
It is defined as a distinctive, earthy, usually pleasant odor associated with rainfall, especially when following a warm, dry period, and that arises from a combination of volatile plant oils and geosmin released into the air and by the ozone carried by downdrafts.
Petrichor is that earthy odor we smell after a rainfall…breathe it in!
Our Fish Sauce depends on the chemical process of freeing Aminos, again showing ‘time’ as irrelevant.
When I walked into our production facility last week, I was met by the unmistakable river of a fully evolved sauce. It had arrived.
Deep, calling, salivation-producing notes of apricot, sweet yet edgy harmony. As usual, I was softly direct and to the point: “It's Ready.”
I was much more excited than I let on. This would mean we could finally bleed off a portion and press the rest of our very first batch, affectionately known as Batch 001.
We could fill our empty Barrique, mix the sachets of botanicals, and begin playing with all of our fancy bits ‘n bobs.
I'm not certain why measuring salt percentages, pH levels, and especially water activity percentages was so exciting, but it was.
As some of you who have been following have noticed, our release dates have been planned and posted. We have definitely been awaiting this.
As some of you are also aware, we all have plans, and we all want what we want. And so often, we forget that what we receive and what opportunities we are offered on our journey are decidedly not up to us.
Chad and I are both naturally born overachievers, so it has been a constant search for certifications to acquire and mentors, consultants, and partridges in pear trees to ensure we dot our i’s and cross every t.
Third Coast Superior Fish Sauce is more than a product—it is a living, breathing masterpiece.
Henceforth, there are 33 Kilometers of red tape. Or did I say Burgundy? It's long, it’s red, and it’s everywhere. If you're out there and you have some more for us, please bring it.
It is as it is and should never be seen as an obstacle, only another opportunity.
This is yet another reason I love working with Chad. He is a highly intelligent man, humble, and wise enough to make it his mission never to slow down his learning.
This is further a critical reason Third Coast Superior is as harmonious, successful, and wildly exciting as it is.
We could choose to be disappointed in the appearance of new hoops to jump through to release our beloved nectars properly. Still, we see it as an opportunity for further learning, more experience with regulatory bodies, and another chance to grow as humans.
In pivoting to retracting our release dates, neither of us flinched.
We do what we do to the best of our abilities, and that is good enough for both of us.
There are too many upsides to list, so I will simply announce that with great pleasure, gratitude, and acceptance…we hope to release both bottlings of the 2023 vintage by this Autumn.
And the rain came down, And the rain came down…and washed it all away.
Love and Light,
Steven Peyer
Third Coast Fish Sauce, coming Autumn 2024
Keep an eye out for updates on Third Coast Superior's fermentation process as it nears completion, leading to the creation of a beautifully bottled fish sauce.
To read other Third Coast Superior blog posts, including Steven’s recipes, visit: Third Coast Blog.