Dear Sirs and/or Madams,
Hi!
How are you? I hope this blog post finds you well. Me? I”m ok. Wait.
Not really. I need to get something off my chest and I hope I can steal
a moment or two of your time.
After many months of
soul-searching, consultations with family, advisers, clergy and
significant others, it has come to my attention that there is something
I can no longer hide and must respectfully reveal to you. I
don’t want this to affect our relationship in any way whatsoever, and
I’m hoping that my revelation will be met with compassion,
understanding, and nary a flicker of grimace or snarl that I’ve come to
expect whenever I begin to talk about what I must say to you here.
I love tinned sardines.
There.
I said it! And…. there you go. I knew this would happen, I just knew
it! Come back! Please, I’m not finished yet. Please?
Ok,
thanks. So listen, I want you to know that I’m really the same person
you’ve always known. And even though you’ve the first to serve up a big
giant plate of snark and disapproval whenever I take out that
distinctive tin can at lunch I want you to know that I don’t hold that
against you. And no, it doesn’t upset me either when you ask me for the
35th time if I’m "really going to eat that?" and you’ll be happy to
know I don’t hold it against you that you believe my love of tinned
fish gives you an excuse to pass judgment on my meal. In fact I almost
find it comical watching your face contort and twist in disgust as if I
just committed the crime of the century or said you wore granny drawers
or still sucked your thumb as an adult or something rude like that.
But
as of today, enough is enough. I’m coming out of the closet, so to
speak, and professing my love for tinned fish. And here’s why:
1.
I happen to like the way they taste. Rich and distinctive with a soft
to medium-firm texture, I’ve always loved their flavor and if I can’t
find fresh sardines (a term used to describe a whole variety of small
fish) to cook myself then the canned variety suits me just fine. And
please remember that "fishy" is subjective.
2. They pack some
pretty powerful nutrients. They have a decent amount of omega-3 fatty
acids and are also great sources of iron. How can you argue?
3.
I’ve enjoyed them since I was a wee lad. That’s right — I’ve eaten
them as long as I can remember, thanks to my dad who would share the
tangy flavor of sardines in mustard sauce with a few saltine crackers
with me as a snack. So when you feel the need to knock this diminutive,
smelly and often maligned fish, you’re gonna have to go through Pops.
4.
They make me happy. A few high-quality sardines packed in oil, a hunk
of baguette and a few celery stalks and I’m as happy as a clam. Or
sardine. In a can. I am. You get the picture.
Now that I’ve said
my peace I think it’s best if we grow together and move forward. Next
time you see me carting around that little unmistakable can I hope you
realize it’s my lunch you’re making fun of and that you’ll think twice
before knocking it. And if you’re lucky I might even let you have one.
Just kidding.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Sardine and Celery Salad adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
Hot damn! You have no idea how much better I feel now. Seriously. And
now that I have that off my chest I’d like to recommend this little
salad that appeared a few years ago in Food & Wine. It makes a
nifty little lunch when paired with rye crackers or bread, and it’s so
flavorful that you needn’t make much. Imported high quality sardines
from Spain or Portugal are the best in my humble opinion, and make sure
you also use a high quality mustard. You know what they say about
better ingredients and all. The original recipe called for cilantro but I prefer parsley with the sardines.
Ingredients
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grainy mustard (make sure it’s good!)
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Four 4 3/8-ounce cans sardines in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
4 large celery ribs, peeled and cut into 1-inch matchsticks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, mix the parsley with the olive oil, grainy and Dijon mustards, red onion and the lemon juice and zest. Fold in the sardines and celery and season with salt and pepper. Chill and serve or pack in a plastic container. Enjoy with rye crackers.
{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
Sardines remind me of my dad. He always used to eat them on saltines. Pig’s feet too.
Ah, you know, I remember taking sardines to grade school for lunch one time, and was so shocked by the peer response to my little tin, that I basically swore off of them ever more.
How silly of me – I may have to go grab a tin & rekindle my like of the sardine.
Do not fear, some folks will still love you — although your entourage might have lessened somewhat. However, being a pickled herring — pickled, salted, cured in lemon juice – lover I can relate to the gagging comments and the loneliness when all of a sudden you’re all by yourself around the table.
Sardines have one thing in favor — they come in pretty cans.
I like sardines too. But I prefer to go to my fish market and buy them fresh. It’s not that the tinned ones aren’t easy to prepare. It’s just that there’s something irresistible about going to the fish market.
So when you come to visit, I guess we’ll skip the fish market since you prefer the canned ones.
Pity.
DAVID, NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I can’t skip the fish market I can’t I can’t I can’t!
You have no idea how relieved I am by this post. I’m not the only one! I tried them in Greece for the first time, fresh, gorgeous, and fried whole, and when I came back, wasn’t quite so suspicious of the canned variety. Seriously, I didn’t know what I was missing out on for all those years.
Hello! My name is Reya and I’m a sardinoholic!
Feels like you’ve written this letter in my name Matt. Fave way of eating them: mashed with chopped onions and a bit of chili pepper. Yum!
I’m a sucker for canned sardines too Matt, so you’re not alone
Here’s one of my favorite canned sardine recipes. Hope you enjoy it!
Sardine Toast Topper
4 oz (120g) canned sardines in water or oil – drained
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons capers – rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of whole grain bread – toasted and lightly buttered
2 lemon wedges for serving
MASH together the sardines, lemon juice, capers, salt and pepper in a bowl until well combined. SPREAD equal amounts of the mixture over the pieces of lightly buttered toast and serve with lemon wedges for drizzling.
Matt,
Your post reinforced why I liked you. When I was a young boy, my Dad would open a can of sardines, put them on a cracker and garnish with a little mustard. As Alton would say, “good eats”.
Hey, sardines are good. Really really good. I wouldn’t be embarrassed
I used to put tinned sarnines on toast when I was a lad, living far far away from the sea. Heck, I used to use them as bait for fishing too.. I never caught anything though, the bait always got eaten.
Living on the ocean, I find it pretty easy to get fresh sardines. I love them on toast with a some roasted beets and almond puree.
All good stuff
Way to go, Matt, don´t let the snarky ones win. Nobody is anything other than respectful of tinned sardines here, of course, but still, it´s good to know that there are supporters all over.
You’re funny as always, Matt.
There is a book written by a Vancouver author years ago called “Tin Fish Gourmet”. It’s available through Amazon. I think you’ll like it.
I might not eat them straight out of the tin, but when they look as good as they do in your photos, I don’t know why I haven’t started.
Brooke
Me love sardines long time. They’re always in my pantry (anchovies too!). I love the recipe above with the capers and lemon. Yeah, fresh sardines are glorious, but they’re not around here that often (in season).
Moroccan sardines are pretty damn tasty too, with a little hot pepper inside.
I really love tinned sardines smushed on toast. Such a treat. Except if you bring them as a treat on the plane and then it all gets very stinky. I learned this the hard way
I like the ghetto tins you can pick up in Asian stores that are seeped in spicy tomato sauce. As a kid we’d nuke them for 30 seconds, pull out the backbone, and eat them with plain, steamed Jasmine rice.
Did I say as a kid? I do that now.
I do like the fancy Bela Olhao brand from Portugal you can get at the organic store, too.
Am I the only one who would have been upset if I had learned that you didn’t like canned sardines? Probably, huh. Thankfully, that isn’t the case. I always knew you had a good head on your shoulders. Canned sardines from Spain, Portugal, or France are all top quality. In France, I’ve read a few aficionados favor vintage sardines. They treat them like a fine wine, turning the cans over every few months, and age them for up to 7 years. All in all, you’re in good company, Matt.
yum, love those little fishies!!
My mom use to pack these for lunch once a week till I was tormented and traumatized by a bully in 3rd grade for eating sardines for lunch. Haven’t eaten one since. But I might just have to get over the trauma and give it a go just for the memories.
ok, im gonna try this salad. i am going to do it, im scared, sardines huh? they sure do look good…
Man, I love them too. But don’t do what a lady seated next to me on a cross-country flight did last year, which was to pull out a tin and start eating. I was asleep and through my sleepy haze I thought – “cat food….” – “why do I smell catfood?”. I opened my eyes and in HORROR saw that I was seated next to an open can of sardines.
No matter how yummy those little suckers are, it’s not nice to sit next to a can of them in a confined space for an hour. Blecch.
Sardines remind me of my Dad… it’s the only thing he knows how to prepare himself for lunch. He especially likes the ones in tomato sauce and mops them up with Lebanese flat bread.
As a result, I do this too. There. I’ve told the world. Phew, I feel good. Thanks Matt.
I’m glad you came clean – I LOVE canned sardines!! And since you like them, I’ll tell you something else too. If you go to a Russian grocery store, ask them for Sprats — if they speak no English, say “Schproti” then describe a round flat can with a black & gold writing on it. Those are SOOOOO good.
Matt,
I think I’ve got 4 tins in the cupboard, along with several of smoked oysters, and I’m not giving them up for anyone! I prefer the Mediterranean Packed, which I use often for a quick little Meze.
So if you feel like opening a tin, remember there are a lot of us who would happily sit with you!
Adam, do not be ashamed! I grew up on buttered toast with canned sardines and I loved them then and still love them. It’s practically comfort food for me. Be proud of your sardine love!
I don’t comment often, but I had to on this post because it really made me laugh. I don’t think *I* will try sardines, but I’m glad someone likes them.
Matt,Seems like you’re not alone. Many of us can now come out of the closet about our love for canned sardines. Funny, funny post.
Glad I stopped by.
Just the word ‘sardine’ reminds me of my Grandpa Ireland. We ate them together beginning when I was a wee girl. Part of the fun was the loud complaints about the smell from Grandma. We laughed and laughed and ate a couple of cans – in mustard – at a time.
My favorite way to eat them is straight from the can….with a plastic fork……
You’ve created a stirring, nay… a Craving for sardines in my bellehy! My dad always used to eat them (to my mother’s disgust) and I’d always have to steal a bite. mmmmmm Can’t wait to get to the grocery store now. Thanks for this post! I love your site and anxiously await each new post and the lovely photos.
I loved tinned sardines in oil before I went vegetarian! On toast, of course, though I often ate them straight out of the can. I always left the bones in and deeply relished their crumbly texture.
There’s another sardine lover with one of my favorite posts:
http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/2006/02/sometimes_we_ju.html
My husband makes pilchard curry – Yuck, not my favourite but if you’re really keen I could get you the recipe! Fresh sardines grilled on a beach barbeque – now that’s a different story!
By the way – are you aware that it’s Fairtrade fortnight here in the UK? – and I’ve been trying to persuade food bloggers to give it a mention – perhaps I could twist your arm – take a look at my posts if you’re interested.
I Matt I found your blog a few weeks ago and I bookmarked it imediatly! I loved everything, but the photos are subberb.
I do LOVE canned sardines (although I prefer fresh ones from the market), but I am Portuguese and here sardine is an institution! I didn’t even knew that you had canned sardines in the US. Great blog keep the good job!
I Matt I found your blog a few weeks ago and I bookmarked it imediatly! I loved everything, but the photos are subberb.
I do LOVE canned sardines (although I prefer fresh ones from the market), but I am Portuguese and here sardine is an institution! I didn’t even knew that you had canned sardines in the US. Great blog keep the good job!
What’s not to love?
We always have at least four cans of sardines in tomato sauce in the cupboard ready for emergency lunches
My hungover husband has just gone off to work this morning with a tin of sardines and a couple of slices of granary!
I grew up eating canned sardines and still love them. I had no idea there were so many that like them. By the way, I loved your blood orange and Campari cocktail. Lovely to drink and beautiful to look at.
My mom swears by these and I enjoyed those cheap Asian cans with the tomato sauce but I could never get over the bones.
I’ve worked by way up to the boneless tinned sardines but I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out on something. Any tips on getting over my tiny fishbone phobia?
Anyone who does not like canned sardines . . . well, they just . . . I’m not sure, I just think they may have a mindset that does not benefit their palate, nor add to their appreciation of life ;>)
Open a can of sardines packed in oil, drain, sprinkle liberally with Tabasco sauce, and eat atop a Triscuit . . . GAWD . . . that’s heaven on earth.
I love them too. Now I´m sure that you had an ancestor from the north of Spain. Here,preserving fish, seafood and vegetables is an art. I love canned sardines in olive oil, delicious!!!!try them with fresh white bread and a tomato and sweet onions salad…ummmm, whith wine vinegar dressing….so simple and so tasty.
Thanks for this humble and honest open letter. I grew up eating it and you justified your reasons with class! Great! Thumbs up to you!
First of all, I absolutely love your blog!!! Anyway, I loooooove sardines! We have a delightful way of eating it. Toasted sourdough, slathered with good butter, topped with sardines, squeeze of lemon and sprinkled with sea salt and cracked pepper! Yummmmm!!!
First of all, I absolutely love your blog!!! Anyway, I loooooove sardines! We have a delightful way of eating it. Toasted sourdough, slathered with good butter, topped with sardines, squeeze of lemon and sprinkled with sea salt and cracked pepper! Yummmmm!!!
First of all, I absolutely love your blog!!! Anyway, I loooooove sardines! We have a delightful way of eating it. Toasted sourdough, slathered with good butter, topped with sardines, squeeze of lemon and sprinkled with sea salt and cracked pepper! Yummmmm!!!
i’m sardinian. my family comes from sardinia. so i guess that makes me a sardine. and i guess that means you love me.
Served on hot buttered toast with slices of hardboiled egg, what’s not to love? XOXO
King Oscar two-layer brisling are the absolute best!!
I love the “reminds me of my dad” comments as that is the first thing I thought too…though any mail order food item arriving in styrofoam on dry ice (I’m thinking dry aged rib eyes, smoked sturgeon from NYC and one, yearly tin of caviar) do the same…
For us, it was sardines on ritz with a bit of cream cheese.
In other canned fish worlds, my sister taught me to enjoy tinned, smoked oysters and I’m not ashamed, I tell you, not ashamed!
With the exception of the enormous grilled sardines one can buy just fifty meters from the pier on Ile Sainte Marguerite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannes#.C3.8Ele_Ste_Marguerite_.28St_Marguerite_Island.29), I have to admit that canned sardines hold a special place in my heart as well. As a wee French boy, canned sardines were kind of a treat… so I still eat them right out of the can. Other ways I’ve enjoyed canned sardines: On a baguette with a sliver of butter, thrown on a bed of linguine with extra virgin olive oil, or as a substitute for tuna in a (real) salade nicoise.
When I was a child I loved the tinned sardines in mustard sauce.
No idea how on earth my mother got me to eat these, but I couldn’t get enough of them. Then again I also loved keiska (polish blood sausage)…but that’s another story.
Lovely blog.
I love sardines in can. Or sardines in a bottle. Spanish style sardines are the best a lil bit spicy to give it a lil kick. Try a sardines sandwich with feta, a lil wasabe-mayo and a lot of rocket serve on ciabatta. Yummy goodness. Try milkfish in bottles or in cans, I think you’ll love them.
canned sardines
thinly sliced red onion
chopped hard boiled egg
on a saltine
DIVINE!!
I love that you love sardines and I love this blog….