Cod is a mild fish once enjoyed by explorers, adventurers. Kim Domick shares that story and some recipes in her latest food column.
Atlantic cod is often referred to as “the fish that changed the world.”
No other fish was as important to the settlement of the Eastern coast of North America, and no other has brought more wealth to the market as cod. The cod’s story is one of freedom.
As Europeans explored North America looking for passage to Asia, they discovered the abundance of large cod, and began fishing along the coast of what is now New England.
They set up temporary fishing camps, and many stayed on. Early settlers perfected the preserving technique of drying and salting the fish which fueled the trade and business of new colonies.
To be fair, though, preserving techniques were perfected long before North America was explored. Cod — gadus morhua —
