A delicacy centuries old!
Bacalhau was developed and consumed since the time of
long ocean crossings and before refrigeration and is today a delicacy
popular throughout the world from Africa to Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean.
Most importantly in Bacalhau involves the selection of the fish and the curing process to
maximize the possibilities and flavor.
Curing processes have varied from salt and air drying (for varying
amounts of time.) The longer the drying process in salt and in the air
the better the cure.
What makes a cure good?
Lots of salt and time drying which leads just the right
amount of low moisture.
The curing facilities in Portugal and in Norway ensure that a
nice amount of fresh sea salt is laid upon the center of the fish
but that some salt covers all of the fish to ensure curing. Just as
when you place the fish in water to remove the salt. The salt
covering the fish during the curing process will remove the
moisture from the fish.
Order some from BuyPortuguesefood.com
Order some from BuyPortuguesefood.com
Fish from Norway Cured in Portugal from BomPorto a premium Bacalhau company.
Low Moisture improves and helps to maintain shelf
life.
While salt is know for its antimicrobial properties killing some
types of bacteria by essentially sucking the water out of them,
there exists some bacteria which is resistant to this and that is
where why lower moisture is better. Bacteria thrives on
moisture and temperature fluctuations when you have more
moisture and more temperature fluctuations bacteria can
thrive, grow and destroy even salted fish.
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Is dark or yellowish color bacalhau mean good, bad,
old?
Most people do prefer the appearance of salted cod with a
lighter / whiter coloration. But for that to occur it means that
the codfish gets a lesser cure. Proper curing involves a heavy
salting process, plus good drying process. These two steps
give the fish a light yellow coloration and a unique flavor.
The images below show a loin that is not as light in color or attractive as some may want. However, you can see the progression as we soaked it – the color was restored to its natural state, the blemish disappeared and an elegant meal was made.
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A better cure also concentrates the flavor.
For market reasons this is one of the reasons when you shop for
salted fish you may see a range of pricing per lb. Since this product is
priced by the weight. The amount of moisture weighs on the price.
Pasteis de Bacalhau 
Bacalhau a Gomes de Sá 
Bacalhau a Lagareiro 
Bacalhau a Brás
All Recipes found here: https://casadebacalhau.com/recipes/
The Barcelos Rooster is considered to be the unofficial symbol of Portugal.
The Story
You can find this emblem in many forms in every local shop and especially gift shops. This national symbol is mostly found in its typical ceramic from as well as embroidered on towels and aprons. Other souvenirs include key-chains, paperweights and other popular tourism gifts. The Barcelos Rooster is always vividly colored, and is said to be the embodiment of the famous Portuguese love of life.
The legend takes place in 15th century Barcelos. Its citizens had become upset by an unsolved crime that was so terrible that it had the citizens in an alarming state. An impoverished pilgrim had been passing through Barcelos, which was a neighboring city to his in order to fulfill a promise he made during a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Despite his explanation for being in Barcelos, he was still arrested and condemned to hang. He refused to go quietly and asked to be taken in front of the judge who sentenced him to death. The authorities granted his wish, and brought him to the magistrate’s house while he was having a banquet with friends. He affirmed his innocence, and swore the proof of his innocence by pointing to a cooked rooster and said that the rooster would crow at the hour of his hanging as proof. The statement caused a large amount of laughter and mockery. The judge ignored the statement of innocence, but still set aside the rooster and refusing to eat it. When the time for judgment came, the pilgrim went to the gallows to accept his punishment. As he was being hanged, the roasted rooster appeared and stood up on the table in front of the crowd and crowed just as the pilgrim predicted. The judged realized the mistake he had made and rushed to save the pilgrim. The cord was not correctly tightened and was able to easily be saved from his death sentence. Later, the pilgrim would return to Barcelos. He sculpted a cross in honor of the Virgin Mary and St. James, who he felt was responsible for saving him with the miracle of the rooster. Today, this cross is referred to as the Cross of the Lord of the Rooster. This statue is still in existence in the Archeological Museum of Barcelos.
The story of the legend can vary depending on the telling, although the main story about the roasted rooster declaring the pilgrim innocent. One variation claims that the pilgrim was a guest of the landowner and his banquet, which was where silver was stolen. Another telling, the pilgrim was a guest at a local inn, and the owner of the inn falsely accused the pilgrim of the crime as a result of his own greed. In some legends the pilgrim is from Galicia, while others do not. In another story, there are two pilgrims that are father and son, and the son was convicted of the crime and the father called upon the rooster to crow.
Whichever telling of the legend that you hear, the Barcelos Rooster is a common sight while you are visiting Portugal, with numerous souvenir choices emblazoned with its symbol. Now that you know the significance of the symbol, you can add this piece of Portugal pride in your home after visiting this beautiful country.