Comments on: Of sardines, sardine sandwiches, and much more

By: Rachel Laudan

Rachel Laudan — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:45:44 +0000

Glad to find another sardine aficionado. I’m appalled that they are considered so low on the culinary scale in the US. I’m going to Panama next month and will look out for these.

By: Coleman Harris

Coleman Harris — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:24:06 +0000

Lovely article. Each time I discover a new tinned sardine I like I look it up on the internet and that is how I found your article Rachel and have bookmarked it!
I am now living in Panama and found the Vigilante Sardine in Olive Oil to my liking. I mash them with potatoes and add chives. Yum yum to me although I’m sure some would find it disgusting.

By: Adam Balic

Adam Balic — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:11:29 +0000

More news on the Cornish Sardine;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/dec/10/cornish-sardine-protected-eu

By: Jonny Hamachi

Jonny Hamachi — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:39:22 +0000

Great Essay!!

By: Rachel Laudan

Rachel Laudan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:28:23 +0000

A quick reply to Ian Hutchinson since his question is quick and direct. The main “sardine” sardina< appears to be Sardipos sagax according to the very useful by Arturo y Lila Lomelí, Del mar a su mesa (Grijalbo 1997). Yet I don’t remember seeing any canned sardines here labelled Mexican. Most seem to come from Norway, Portugal, the usual suspects. Or maybe it’s because like Don Cuevas I don’t usually buy the ones in tomato sauce in big oval cans.

Anyone know anything about a Mexican sardine canning industry? Now tuna for sure. What would mother’s do for quick after school snacks without tuna, saltines and pico de gallo?

Thanks to the other comments, there is another post I am brewing on sardines that pulls together another aspect of the whole story. Then more on pudding.

By: Diana Buja

Diana Buja — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:58:45 +0000

Nice, Rachel. Sardines are very, very popular here and elsewhere in Africa. They are generally economical, don’t turn bad as fresh fish – a tremendous plus where there is no refrigeration, don’t require cooking – also a great plus for folks who cook on wood and charcoal – and are liked for a variety of other reasons. They often form the protein ingredient for sauces that are used in eating various pates – made of maize, sorghum, or millet. Very economical.

By: Adam Balic

Adam Balic — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:54:04 +0000

In terms of canned sardines the WHO gives these guidelines to the species that when canned can be called “sardines”. I’ve put the common names for the fresh fish in brackets for some.

Sardina pilchardus (Sardine/Pilchard)
• Sardinops melanostictus, S. neopilchardus (Australian sardine/Pilchard), S. ocellatus, S. sagax, S. caeruleus,
• Sardinella aurita, S. brasiliensis, S. maderensis, S. longiceps, S. gibbosa
• Clupea harengus (Herring)
• Clupea bentincki
• Sprattus sprattus (Sprat)
• Hyperlophus vittatus
• Nematalosa vlaminghi
• Etrumeus teres
• Ethmidium maculatum
• Engraulis anchoita, E. mordax, E. ringens
• Opisthonema oglinum

By: Ian Hutchinson

Ian Hutchinson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:59:48 +0000

Rachel:

Wonderful article. After a lifetime of eating sardines (on toast in England as a lad, from the can when I was doing my PhD fieldwork in Belize in the 1970′s, and now mashed with garlic, parsley and olive oil), I thought I was an aficionado, but I hadn’t realized that they were commonly just young herrings from the northern seas.

Until a few years ago I’d never eaten a fresh sardine, and although the local variety in the Pacific Northwest isn’t to my taste, frozen sardines from Portugal (at least that’s where they’re packaged), cleaned, and grilled over charcoal have relegated sardines in a can to second (but still much-appreciated in my household) place.

I’m in Mexico for a few weeks; are there ANY local canned sardines that you might recommend?

Ian Hutchinson

By: Don Cuevas

Don Cuevas — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:12:22 +0000

Rachel; I’m pleased that you wrote this.
Over the years, my taste for sardines has increased from just tolerated to highly appreciated. I have them at least once a week, often as a light lunch, on toasted rye bread, with onion and tomato and a squeeze of lime juice (failing availability of lemons here.) and a few drops of bottled salsa picante.

Occasionally, I’ll have them for breakfast, perhaps with avocado spread on the toast. At this point, I prefer Vigilante brand Spanish sardines, packed on olive oil, but Calvo brand is fine. I’m less fond of those Mexican sardines in large, oval cans, packed in tomato sauce.

Back in the early ’70s, we used to buy the most delicious Smoked Norwegian Sprats at 49¢ a can, but over time, the price rose to ridiculous levels.

To sum up; not only do I enjoy the taste, but eating them makes me feel so damn healthy.

Saludos,
Don Cuevas

By: Marc Millon

Marc Millon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:47:31 +0000

Wonderful essay, Rachel. You’ll be interested to know, I’m sure, that pilchards are still today being preserved and exported to the Mediterranean from Cornwall. Pilchard Works may be the only remaining company from what was once a thriving industry, but they have apparently been selling cured (salted and tinned) pilchards to the Italians since 1905. I came across them for the first time a few years ago at the Salone del Gusto in Turin, even though they are near neighbours, just across the Tamar from Devon. See http://www.pilchardworks.co.uk

A question: some years ago when researching and photographing a book, we purchased tins of sardines in Brittany, I think in Concarneau or Douarnenez or somewhere along that beautiful west coast of France. Having read that tinned sardines improve with age, maturing slowing for upwards of years, I purchased some dozen tins and laid them down (like fine wine!). I came across that netted bag of rather ancient looking tins recently when cleaning out a cupboard, so they are probably upwards of 10-15 years old. Will they be sublime? Or possibly poisonous? Do I dare to sample?

Thanks and all best

Marc