Cod with pine nuts, raisins, and onions is a classic of Roman Jewish cuisine, but its origin story begins far from the Tiber. In the Lofoten Islands of Norway, Viking-era fishermen perfected the art of air-drying cod in frigid winds, a method that centuries later caught the attention of Venetian nobleman Pietro Querini, who was shipwrecked there in 1432. Querini and his crew were taken in by local fishermen and introduced to stockfish, or unsalted dried cod. He returned to Venice with a written account praising both the hospitality and the preserved fish, helping lay the groundwork for future trade between Norway and Italy. As preservation methods evolved, Italy embraced both stockfish and salt cod (baccalà), especially inland and during Catholic fasting days. Though the fish is Nordic, Romans made it their own, seasoning it with Mediterranean staples—the pine nuts and raisins are reminiscent of Jewish cooking, brought to the city by refugees fleeing the Inquisition—and turning a northern product into a deeply local tradition.