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Hi all.  So sorry for the delay in posting back my summary.  Work got
in the way, I fear ...

In any case, though I did not receive an avalanche of mail about this
subject, I was very happy to have received about 20 posts from fellow
adventurous eaters, who share my love of Asian foods.

No one who answered my post has had any reaction to fish sauce --
with a couple of very sensitive celiacs saying it's never given them
a problem.  And although this does not guarantee no brand will have
gluten -- no one has ever SEEN a brand of fish sauce with anything
suspicious in it.  I also personally did a pretty exhaustive net
search for all kinds of brands -- and no labels I was able to find
listed anything gluten-like.  Specifically, the most common brand
mentioned by list members is Thai Kitchen, which they say is known to
be GF.

One person suggested that "MSG is sometimes made from wheat, and any
fish sauces that contain MSG are potential gluten sources."  I didn't
know that MSG can be made from wheat.  But I also have never seen MSG
as an ingredient in fish sauce.  I suppose it could happen, but I
think MSG is basically salty, and I don't know why they would be
combined in the same product.

Another person said that some people may have reaction due to allergy
to anchovies, which is what fish sauce is typically made from.

So, why the confusion in posts I grabbed from the archives?  I'm not
sure.  I am wondering if some people confuse "fish sauce" with
"oyster sauce," which DOES often have soy sauce as an ingredient.
(Oyster sauce is completely different.)

In any case, fish sauce (especially in Southeast Asian foods) can be
a great ingredient to cook with (or to give an OK at a restaurant to
be used as an ingredient), and can greatly make up for the absence of
soy sauce.  (There are some tricks to using fish sauce -- don't just
dump it out of the bottle, like you would soy sauce!)  Below is a
little audio bit about using fish sauce, along with some background
about this sauce, and also a recipe for the "fish sauce" that you
typically get as a dipping sauce on the table at a Thai or Vietnamese
restaurant.

Thanks again to all the folks who answered my note, and I hope at
least this is one food we can generally enjoy.  :-)

RealAudio (cooking with fish sauce):
http://table.glass.mpr.org/souptonuts/kitchen_fishsauce.html


Excerpt below from: http://www.saucecafe.com/leftover_spicy/spicy39.html

>If you've ever dabbled in Vietnamese or Thai cooking, chances are
>you know the terms nuoc mam and nam pla. For the rest of us, I'll
>translate. Nuoc mam and nam pla are translated literally as "fish
>water" or fish sauce. Fish sauce is a staple in Vietnamese and Thai
>cooking much like salt is a staple in Western cooking. It is used in
>a majority of recipes and has been around a long, long time.
>
>In imperial Roman times fish sauce was called liquamen or garem and
>was one of the most common and strongest seasonings. Popular enough
>to be commercially produced, the best sauces came from Pompeii,
>Leptis, Magna and Antipolis. In fact, liquamen was so common that
>it's absence from a dish was instantly noticeable.
>
>The manufacturing of fish sauce is a major industry and most
>factories are located along the coast to assure the freshness of the
>fish to be processed. The two towns said to produce the best fish
>sauce are Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet in Vietnam. Mostly used as a
>dipping sauce, fish sauce is made by layering fresh anchovies and
>salt in huge wooden barrels and allowing it to ferment for several
>months. During this time liquid drips from an open tap in the bottom
>of                the barrel. This liquid is put back into the top
>of the barrel and after about six months the fish sauce is ready for
>bottling. In some cases water and caramel are added before bottling.
>
>There are three "drainings" of fish sauce. Think in terms of olive
>oil, extra virgin, and virgin. The first draining is very light and
>very clear. This is reserved for table use and is very expensive.
>The second and third drainings are of lower quality and are used for
>general purpose cooking. On the label, the "nhi" is the highest
>quality and "Ca Com" means that only anchovies were used suggesting
>the highest quality for table use.
>
>When using fish sauce remember these two major rules of thumb. The
>first is never use fish sauce straight from the bottle. Always
>dilute it to make a dipping sauce. Secondly, never add fish sauce to
>a hot, dry pan while cooking. The aroma will be overpowering. Always
>sprinkle into foods that have liquid.
>
>Other types of fish sauce are also available. Oyster sauce is a
>Cantonese specialty used as an all-purpose seasoning for meat, fish,
>vegetables, and noodles. Fine Shrimp sauce known as kapee in
>Thailand is left to ferment and dry in the sun instead of crocks or
>barrels, and Barbecue sauce is made of dried fish, shrimp, garlic,
>peanuts and spices.
>
>A variety of fish sauces can be found in international food stores
>such as Jay's International Foods or Global Food Market. Your local
>supermarkets carry a Thai brand of fish sauce and Oyster sauce. If
>you can't find Vietnamese fish sauce, look for ones from Thailand or
>Hong Kong. Squid Brand fish sauce is considered the best on the
>market.


Recipe below from: http://www.whats4eats.com/recipes/r_sau_nuoccham.html

Nuoc cham
(Vietnamese dipping sauce )

Servings: About 1 cup

Rice vinegar, unseasoned  2 T
Lime juice fresh 3 T
Fish sauce  1/4 c
Water 1/4 c
Sugar 2 T
Garlic crushed 1 clove
Chile, Jalapeno, Serrano or Thai sliced thin rounds  1 ea
Carrot shredded or julienne 1 T

METHOD
Mix all ingredients and stir well to dissolve sugar.
Adjust seasonings: add more lime juice if too sweet; add more sugar
if too sour; add more fish sauce if needs more salt.
Let set for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.

NOTES
This is the all-purpose Vietnamese condiment. It is served with and
passed over many dishes. It has a wonderfully bright and fresh flavor.

If you use seasoned rice vinegar (sweetened), cut the amount of sugar
in the recipe to 1 T.

Will keep in fridge for about a week.

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