Lisbon Story

The Codfish Route

A country with a vast coastline travelled to the end of the world in search of a dry fish which has today become the symbol of its gastronomy, culture and history

About this route

The History of Bacalhau

The “faithful friend”

Discovered by the Vikings, who captured it abundantly in the cold seas of the Nordic countries, codfish has been considered “the bread of tides” in Portugal, and is now known as its “faithful friend”.

The long and curious relationship of this seafaring nation with a dried fish that isn’t captured along its own coast starts in the 14th century, after commercial treaties with England which predicted the exchange of salt for codfish.

In the mid-1500s, during the Portuguese discoveries, an expedition headed to India discovered Newfoundland. And so began Portuguese cod fishing.

Portuguese fishermen were eventually driven out by English and French corsairs, who dominated fishing activities in the region.

For centuries this fish was a food exclusive to the royal house and aristocracy, only spreading to the interior of Portugal in the 19th century due to ease of conservation and transport.

On the 9th of July 1920, the Companhia Portuguesa de Pesca (Portuguese Fishing Company) is founded by four small shipowners from the trawling trade, each of them owning a single vessel. Setting up headquarters in the old facilities of the Fábrica de Algodão da Companhia Lisbonense (“Lisbon Company Cotton Factory”), former São Paulo Convent, in Olho de Boi, Almada, the company appeared in the context of an expanding canning and fishing industry.

However, exponential growth of codfish consumption begins with the Estado Novo.

Up to that point Portugal imported most of the codfish it consumed. Portuguese fishing companies didn’t work efficiently, and the sector was disorganized, irregular and lacked investment. All while the population went hungry.

To reduce foreign dependency and guarantee the country’s food supply, Salazar centralizes the organization of fishing activities in the State, encourages the creation of cooperatives and cartelizes supply. This is how the famous Codfish Campaign begins in 1934, aiming to turn this fish into Portugal´s staple food.

Sailing from Belém, Lisbon, the cod fishing ships were luggers, sailing ships and motor-ships, which towed dories, small wooden boats used for line fishing, and had the capacity to carry between 900 and 950 tons of cod.

This type of fishing was a hard and dangerous job. Fishermen had to face wind and swell, the risk of hitting an iceberg and frequent fog. Many didn´t make it back to the cod fishing ships and died at sea. The transition to trawling with modern boats was tardy and slow, which eventually led to the sector’s demise.

During World War II, Portugal maintained its fishing activity. When crossing the Atlantic Ocean, two cod fishing ships,Maria de Gloria” and “Delães” were sunk by Nazi submarines. An agreement with the Allies would determine that these Portuguese cod fishing ships be painted white to signal Portugal´s neutrality in the conflict and allow them to safely sail the Atlantic, thus becoming known as the “White Fleet”.

The “Creoula”, launched in the Tagus river on the 10th of May 1937, was used until 1973 in cod fishing campaigns off Newfoundland and Greenland, and set a sailing track record equivalent to more than 20 round-the-world trips. Currently used as an instruction ship by the Portuguese Navy, it is one of the fleet’s last survivors, alongside “Santa Maria Manuela”, “Argus” and “Gazela”.

After the conflict, cod fishing became an emblem for the corporate system. In 1957, Portugal is already the largest salt codfish producer in the world, and the import substitution level reaches nearly 80%. By this time, wheat and codfish were the commodities with the greatest impact on both the country’s diet and its trade balance.

Historically, the codfish curing process started on board the cod fishing ships, where it was salted immediately. After reaching land, the fish was washed to remove all the salt and dried until dehydrated. The codfish drying process took place outdoors in the Algarve, on the South Bank of the Tagus, in Setúbal, Figueira da Foz, Aveiro and Viana do Castelo. It was generally a job performed by women.

With an area of 360 hectares, the Samouco Salt Pans in Alcochete were the main saline farming centre in the Lisbon region between the 1930s and 1970s. The salt left there in boats destined for cod salting in distant Newfoundland or warehouses in Cais do Sodré, which supplied the capital city.

The Sociedade Nacional de Armadores de Bacalhau (National Society of Codfish Shipowners) was one of the three factories in Alcochete where codfish was dried and prepared. Today only the building remains, right at the entrance of the complex.

1974 was the last year a Portuguese cod fishing fleet set sail for Newfoundland, coinciding with the fall of the dictatorship in Portugal.

Nevertheless, we still love codfish today and it is said we have 1001 ways of cooking it. Presently, 70% of codfish comes from Norway and the Portuguese are responsible for consuming 20% of the global catch, always taking sustainable consumption, climatic change and gastronomic versatility into consideration.


The Codfish Route

The Codfish Route

The centuries long story of our “faithful friend” is told at the Codfish History Interpretation Centre, in an immersive exhibition where technology is allied to historical archives, large scale installations, artefacts and real video testimonials. In this place of homage to bacalhau you can also enjoy a selection of some of the best codfish products at the Terra Nova Mercearia, and experience a journey of flavours at Terra Nova Restaurante by Populi, where codfish is king.

 

Navigating through gastronomic seas, we finally arrive at Restaurante D' Bacalhau for a tasting which includes some of the most traditional delicacies made with this fish.

 

It is also impossible to mention the connection between Lisbon and codfish without walking by Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, which was named as such shortly after the 1755 earthquake, when codfish traders were transferred to the area.

 

On Lisbon’s Rua do Arsenal, which runs parallel to the Tagus and between Cais do Sodré and Terreiro do Paço, grocery stores Rei Do Bacalhau and Pérola do Arsenal display codfish as their king product, playing an important role in the city’s history. The two strongholds of this city artery, where our “faithful friend” has already been sold out in eight different locations.

 

Manteigaria Silva is another pearl of Lisbon´s traditional retail, and one the oldest bacalhoarias (codfish shops), still conserving many architectural elements from the time of its foundation.

Each one of these grocery stores proudly exhibits superior quality codfish, sold by weight, cut manually on request and wrapped with brown paper and string, as the tradition demands.

It is still to be explained why we left our vast coastline and travelled to the end of the world, to the most inhospitable seas, where countless generations of Portuguese men risked and lost their lives in search of this fish. But today it is a symbol of Portugal’s gastronomy, culture and history.

Before setting off, let us revisit the words of Eça de Queiroz: “Deep down my novels are French, just as I am, in almost everything, a Frenchman – apart from a certain sincere depth of lyrical sadness that is of Portuguese nature, a depraved taste for Fado, and a righteous love for bacalhau de cebolada” (Codfish with onions).

The 10 Most Famous Recipes

The 10 Most Famous Recipes

1 – Bacalhau à Brás 

This dish is considered bacalhau for beginners, a sort of reinterpretation of fish and chips. The codfish is shredded and sautéed with fried straw potatoes, onions and whisked eggs. Black olives and parsley are the cherry on the cake. It’s probably the most popular of all bacalhau dishes!

2 –Bacalhau com Natas (Codfish with Cream)

A delicious mixture of cream and moreish béchamel sauce envelops the codfish in a creamy mixture of potatoes and sautéed onions. Some can’t resist giving it a cheesy au gratin finish!

3 – Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

This signature recipe was created in the North of Portugal by José Luís Gomes de Sá. It consists of codfish slivers previously softened in milk, accompanied with boiled eggs, black olives and parsley.

4 – Pataniscas de Bacalhau (Codfish Fritters)

These irresistible tidbits can be served as a memorable starter or in their classic version, with a plate of saucy kidney bean rice. The fritters are made with codfish shreds fried in wheat flour and egg batter, and seasoned with salt, pepper and parsley.

5 – Bacalhau à Lagareiro (Codfish in Olive Oil)

From the olive press to a generously drizzled platter, this dish is for those who can’t go without olive oil. Dipped in liquid gold and embraced by turnip greens and roast potatoes, with raw garlic as a final seasoning, this dish never gets old.

6 – Bacalhau à Zé do Pipo

Another signature codfish recipe. A delicious mixture of mayonnaise, creamy mashed potato, red pepper, bay leaves and olives. It was first tasted in 1940 and has since been part of the heritage of most desired bacalhau recipes.

7 – Bacalhau de Cebolada (Codfish with Onions)

For this traditional dish, codfish slices are coated in flour and egg before being fried. A considerable amount of onions cut into rings, strips of red pepper and garlic cloves are added. Everything is seasoned with pepper, paprika, bay leaves, salt and tomato pulp. Deep-fried crisps are then laid out on a platter as a bed for the codfish, which is finally covered with the onion sauce. Absolutely delicious!

8 – Bacalhau Assado (Roasted Codfish)

Bacalhau in its purest form, for those who don’t like fads or gimmicks. Whether roasted over charcoal or in the oven, this is the serious bacalhau. Served in slices with roast potatoes and olive oil. As it should be!

9 – Bacalhau Cozido (Boiled Codfish)

If one thing is certain in Portugal at Christmas, it is that this bacalhau dish sits at the table with the Portuguese people. Boiled or “with everything”, codfish is the king of Christmas Eve. With eggs, chickpeas, cabbage and potatoes, and never without a generous drizzle of blessed olive oil.

10 – Pastéis de Bacalhau (Codfish Cakes)

The most famous of all savoury snacks served in cafés around each and every corner. These hot codfish and potato cakes even manage to delight those who don’t like fish. Some say our codfish is so special that it isn’t really fish, it’s bacalhau!


Lisbon Story

African Lisbon