Codfish Balls

This is a true specialty of Florianópolis' bars and restaurants. There is no lack of establishments on the island that offer codfish balls at all times of the year. This is due to the strong culinary tradition of Portugal, which uses cod in the main recipes, and which has a lot of influence on the cuisine of Florianópolis. Our tip is to enjoy it by the sea, with your feet in the sand and a cold beer. Although it was also served as a main dish, what really caught on was the dumpling as an appetizer at happy hours or as a starter to a meal. In seafood restaurants in Florianópolis, it is almost certain that the codfish cake will be on the menu. If this is your order, you can enhance the flavor with olive oil, pepper or lemon. Or in slices, along with egg, onion, tomato and pepper. Curiosity: Bacalhau Gomes de Sá, a famous Portuguese recipe, is named in honor of its creator, José Luis Gomes de Sá, a Portuguese cod merchant. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, tired of the traditional cod cakes he made for his friends, he took the same ingredients and created this equally delicious dish. The recipe had a note at the end: If they change something, "it is no longer capable". Harmonization: The most recommended drinks that accompany the codfish cake, for example, are fruity wines, whether red or white. Green wine is also a good option. In Florianópolis, many people prefer to accompany it with a beer, which also goes well on hot days. To eat as an aperitif, tradition says that black olives should always come together. If the dumpling is the main dish, take the typical Portuguese tomato rice (but it is rarely found in Florianópolis).