In every bite of cod served on a Mexican table during december holidayscenturies of history, maritime explorations and cultural mixing are hidden. What we know today as one of the most emblematic dishes of Christmas and New Year in Mexico It has an origin as distant as it is fascinating: the cold seas of Norway and the culinary tradition of northern Spain.
He cod came to Mexico on board Spanish ships during the period viceregalalthough its initial trace is difficult to specify. “We could say that it probably arrived accidentally on board a ship in the 16th century, although we have no record of its consumption,” he explains. Alberto Peralta de Legarretaspokesperson for the Norwegian Seafood CouncilDoctor in History and Ethnohistory from the National School of Anthropology and History, and professor-researcher at the Anáhuac University.
Salted and dried fish, essential to endure long sea voyageswas not initially for popular consumption. It came from regions like Flanders and the the Basque Countryand its preparation at that time was very simple: “only onion, butter, pepper, nutmeg, ginger and milk. The milk, I think, was used to desalt or reduce the saltiness to fish,” adds Peralta de Legarreta.
The Mexican transformation
At the end 18th centuryhe cod began to appear in the first Mexican recipe books. In one of the oldest records, if not the oldest, the recipe book of Doña Dominga de Guzmán (1780-1790)you can already see the Mexican touch: ancho chilies, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, olives and spices. Dr. Peralta de Legarreta explains it clearly: “everything that comes to us from abroad we Mexicanize with chili. It is a way in which Mexicans can identify ourselves in what we eat.”
Recipe book by Doña Dominga de Guzmán
Toward early 20th centurythe Biscayan-style cod recipe took shape. However, the researcher makes a fascinating observation: “It is likely that tomato was already used in Europe, but it is also likely that it is a totally Mexican invention.” Thus, what began as a necessity on Spanish ships ended up becoming a dish that bears the unmistakable signature of Mexico.
Cod and Mexican Christmas
Biscayan-style cod.
Why is cod a Christmas dish in Mexico? The answer, according to Peralta de Legarreta, lies in religious traditions: “Christmas was a day of fasting, of vigil, and since we could not eat güey, cod is the güey of the vigil.” What started as a meat substitute has transformed into a culinary celebration that unites entire families. around the same pot.
The consolidation of this tradition could date from the mid-20th centurywhen the influential author Josefina Velázquez de León published her recipe books: “This woman had the virtue of regionalizing Mexican cuisine and setting dates for the dishes, such as Christmas,” emphasizes Peralta de Legarreta.
The modern path: from Norway to Mexico
Today, Norway It is the main supplier of cod for the Mexican market. “Mexico consumes 20% of Norwegian cod production“We are your number one market,” highlights Peralta de Legarreta. The path that cod follows from the cold seas to our tables is a legacy of centuries, and the tradition of desalting the fish persists as a family ritual that connects generations.
Mexican cuisine always finds new ways to reinvent itself. Although he Biscayan-style cod continues to be the protagonist, Peralta de Legarreta envisions a future full of possibilities: “Now we are getting fresh fish markets, for the first time in 500 years, little by little we are getting to know fresh cod.. “I don’t know if it will end in toast or whiting, but we will make it work for Mexico.”
Thus, the codwith its history of sailors, miscegenation and religious traditions, has found its home in the mexican tableswhere each preparation tells a story that transcends generations and is more alive than ever.
