Like the God of the Old Testament, salt cod goes by many names. The French call it morue, the Italians baccala' and the Portuguese bacalhau. Of course, the fish is the same — Atlantic cod — and the process is the same — drying and salting.
Salt cod is eaten in nearly every country that comes into contact with the Atlantic Ocean. For centuries, this meaty, plentiful fish, whose low fat content makes it uniquely amenable to long-term preservation, provided mankind with a protein bonanza. Long before airplanes, motor-powered ships or refrigeration, cod could be caught in the north Atlantic and eaten months later in Europe, Africa or Latin America.
Salt cod is also very delicious — even more delicious, in the opinion of many, than fresh cod. Still, I have food-savvy friends who don't get it. "Why eat salt cod," they ask, "when thanks to refrigeration we can always find fresh cod?" "Why eat prosciutto," I answer, "when you could have fresh ham?"
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