[Sca-cooks] salt cod

Terry Decker t.d.decker at att.net
Sun Jun 21 05:26:08 PDT 2009


Kipper as a noun dates to at least 1000 CE, when the word references the 
reddish color of a salmon during spawning.  As an adjective, the word dates 
to around the 12th Century and it is uncertain whether the reference is to 
spent salmon or preserved fish.  The linguistic probability is the former. 
As a verb referring to the preservation of fish, kipper dates to the 18th 
Century.  The earliest description of preserving fish by kippering I have 
encountered is from 1769.  Commercial kippered fish appear around 1840.

Bear

----- Original Message ----- 

While the term "kippered" goes back to 12th century or so, what we
think of as "kippered" fish or "kippers" apparently dates to just the
19th century and refers to a lightly smoked fish, one where the
smoking is mostly for flavor. This fish required the speed of the
railroads to transport it to market before it spoiled since there
wasn't enough smoking to add much preservation qualities.


Stefan



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