Ryan and Bekki took me to the Market.
Mr. Antonio at their favorite spot: Uga Uga.
Salted Codfish
"But why codfish in particular? Well, it is especially interesting in terms of conservation since it has a low amount of fat, therefore the drying and salting process was found to be best with codfish for better conservation.
The origin behind the conservation methods dates back to the Vikings who used to dry the fish to conserve it. The second step is the salting process: the method is issued from the Roman empire and then the Basque people. To salt the dried fish allows it to conserve it longer and to facilitate its transport.
After centuries of long maritime trips, the preserved cod proved to be convenient for sailors. During 16th-17th century intercontinental crossings to Asia and Brazil bacalhau was eaten by these daring travelers with a strong sense of adventure.
The preserved fish that would soon provide the nutrition on voyages also played an important role during times when poverty took over Portugal due to economic instability and high taxes imposed by other nations.
Cod then became a portable source of nutrition, all over the country, from north to south, in the mountains and plains where the fish was scarce and it became firmly rooted in the national culinary identity, where it is still considered one of their most popular food staples – known as the “meat of the poor”."
