"I did one time - not Lea & Perrins (their ingredients used to not be listed), but an off-brand - and I found that intriguing. I wonder what makes the fish taste go away - the fermenting, maybe? Or the other stuff in there?
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I'm not really sure. Actually, I'm a big fan of anchovies, so a sauce that tastes like anchovies is not a problem for me. I make a great anchovy aioli. The combination of garlic and anchovies is great.
In reality, anchovies are a small part of Worchestershire sauce, but they're in there, and it is a fermented sauce. I'm sure it originated in India, since it also includes tamarind. The British colonials in India brought a lot of good things back from India.
Try Crosse and Blackwell's Major Grey's Chutney on pork chops or lamb. It's the best thing since sliced bread. But make sure it's Crosse and Blackwell's. All others are inferior.
It is a derivative from the ancient Roman fermented fish sauce. After the Romans "cut and ran" from Britain - the Brits had acquired a taste for it. It has slowly evolved into today's Worcestershire Sauce.
The traditional recipe for Worcestershire sauce includes an unbelievable array of ingredients: anchovies, tamarind, coffee, vinegar, spices, sugar, garlic, onions, apples and a host of other ingredients.
No human hair.