SC - Re: New World Foods: Rant/ Counter Rant (Long)

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Christi Rigby wrote:
> 
> When you soak your salt cod do you soak it in milk or water?  I have heard
> milk takes the saltiness out better and adds a bit to the fish when
> reconstituted.

I usually just use water, but I've been known to cook it in milk. While
[fresh] milk contains a small amount of lactic acid, which could
tenderize some of the connective tissue, I don't see how it would remove
salt any better than water. The trick is to change it frequently.

In the book, "Cod: A Natural History of the Fish That Changed the World"
(I forget the author and the book is still boxed), there's a passge
describing the patented soaking method used by the then-mayor of
Marseilles, who used to put it in a net bag and weight it down in his
toilet tank, instructing a household servant to flush at least once an hour...

Bear in mind, of course, that _in theory_, there's no backflow, so that
water _should_ be clean...

Adamantius (I figure it's no worse than cooking a salmon in the dishwasher)
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com