ALLTOURS

Beyond Bacalao: What Do People Have Dried Fish With?

1. Squid, Gold, and Ancient Trade

Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines

Centuries ago, dried seafood from Guiuan, particularly squid, was a valuable commodity used as currency in pre-colonial trade with China.

2. Buried Sardines of Noto

Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

The Noto Peninsula is home to konka iwashi, a unique delicacy of sardines preserved by burying them in rice bran for months, a technique born from harsh winters.

3. Valhomas: Sultan's Tribute

Fuvahmulah, Maldives

For centuries, valhomas (dried skipjack tuna) from the Maldives was not just a food staple but also a form of tribute paid to the sultans and a key export.

4. Flood Season's Bounty: Khô Cá

Chau Doc, An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

In Vietnam's Mekong Delta, the annual flood season brings an abundance of fish, leading to a communal tradition of drying khô cá on bamboo racks as a vital preservation method.

5. The Floating Village's Smoked Catch

Ganvié, Benin

In Ganvié, a village built entirely on stilts over Lake Nokoué, the Tofinu people rely on smoking fish over open fires as their primary preservation method, fueling a unique floating market.

6. Amazon's Enduring River Fish

Iquitos, Loreto Region, Peruvian Amazon

Indigenous communities around Iquitos traditionally sun-dry large Amazonian river fish like paiche or dorado, a vital technique for survival in a region lacking refrigeration.

7. Adriatic's Salty Heritage

Komiža, Vis Island, Croatia

The isolated Croatian island of Vis, particularly the fishing town of Komiža, has a centuries-old tradition of drying and salting sardines and anchovies, once vital for its maritime economy.

8. Harðfiskur and the Golden Spread

Grundarfjörður, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

In Iceland, harðfiskur (dried fish jerky) is traditionally softened and eaten with a thick spread of butter, a pairing that provided crucial sustenance in a harsh environment.

DISCOVER REAL STORIES

Uncover the Flavors of the World

Point your phone at a market stall or ancient fishing village. AllTours.ai narrates the stories behind the food, history, and people in your language.

Read the full guide Get the app