Popular fish inspires community group By Pedro Amaral - New Bedford Standard Times Over the years, codfish has been a source of income for fishermen along the New England coast up to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Although not as highly fished as before, cod landings in Massachusetts alone still amounted to 20,018,151 pounds in 1998, the latest figures posted by the National Marine Fisheries Service on their Web site. One of the most popular foods among the Portuguese, salted cod has been a staple of Portuguese cuisine for centuries. It is said that the Portuguese invented 1,001 cod recipes to be served on any day of the week, including Christmas Eve. Historians claim that Portuguese fishermen would sail for weeks to fish for cod for months at a time in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, perhaps even before Christopher Columbus made his way to the Bahamas in 1492.' When salted, cod keeps for many months, thus becoming an essential food during winters, especially in northern Portugal. Cod became so dependable during hard times that it was branded "o fiel amigo," the true friend. As the world of commerce expanded to the smallest villages and towns, making the widest variety of other foods available, cod's value declined. But the true friends have not been abandoned or forgotten, and in many parts of the world where Portuguese have settled, social clubs to honor the fish have sprouted, known as Cod Academies. Currently there are 25 such academies in the world, the first of which was founded in 1970 by a group of Madeirans in South Africa. Today they have spread to Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, France, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela, Canada, the United States and Australia. The academy members have one thing in common; they all love codfish, and they meet periodically to fraternize over a plate of cod. As of July 4, 2000, New England also had its own Cod Academy founded by Dr. Manuel Luciano da Silva; his wife, Silvia Jorge da Silva; and friends Frederico Pacheco, Deodete Pacheco, Afonso Manuel da Silva and Maria de Lurdes da Silva. "I thought it was inadmissible for New England not to have a Cod Academy; after all, this is the first place that was called the land of cod," Dr. da Silva said. "That's why I decided to incorporate the New England Cod Academy with a few friends." Dr. da Silva said the group's goals are to fraternize among friends and to promote acts of kindness. "We also want to promote, among other things, that cod is one of the healthiest foods in New England, and we want to tell the Luso-American community that it should eat more cod than red meat. Also, we want the American people to know that it was the Portuguese sailors who named New England as 'Land of Cod.' "We want to promote the meaning of friendship, based on the cod's symbol as 'true friend' among the American people, Luso-Americans and other Portuguese communities living in other parts of the world." Dr. da Silva said every academy adopts a symbol to identify itself. He said Lisbon's academy has more than 5,000 members and it has adopted the Tower of Belém with the Cross of Christ and the Portuguese shields as its symbols. "The New England Cod Academy adopted the Dighton Rock as our symbol, because it has the same Cross of Christ as well as the Portuguese shields," he said. "It is interesting to note that the crosses on the Dighton Rock were dated 1511, predating those of Lisbon by five years." Dr. da Silva said some of the reasons people should prefer cod over meat is that it has fewer calories, but as much protein. He said the fish is rich in omega-3 and fatty acids, phosphorus, calcium and potassium, and because it feeds on plankton, it carries many vitamins as well. Also, cod consumption can contribute to the reduction of bad cholesterol and to the increase of HDL, the good cholesterol. "First, we want to promote pride in the heritage of Luso-Americans and their children, and then when the academy gains a foothold, we will get involved in acts of generosity in our community." Dr. da Silva said anyone with good intentions could become a member; there are no payments or fees. He said more information about the academy will soon be posted on the Dighton Rock's Web site at www.apol.net or at www.academyofcodfish.com Here is one recipe for the versatile cod (amounts of ingredients to taste): Soak salted cod for three days, changing water daily. In large pan place cod, pre-washed potatoes with skin, kale, quartered cabbage, small white onions and garlic cloves. Cover with water and boil until potatoes are cooked. Add salt to taste. Remove from pan to serving platter and drench with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, garnish with parsley, and black and green olives. Serve with wine and bread (water is OK, too) and enjoy.  Pedro Amaral can be reached at 123 Ames St. Fall River, MA 02721, or at Lusolife@apol.net

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