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Published on Leave a comment on Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets with Pepper & Ginger

I received these Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets with Pepper & Ginger with a recent order from International Loft. The flavor combination sounded interesting, as I had not seen ginger used before. Fingers crossed.

Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets in olive oil with Ginger and Pepper open can
Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Very nice, appetizing-looking, skinless and boneless fillets of mackerel. The aroma from the can is of fresh fish, tuna-like. I'm not getting a sense of the seasonings yet. A sip of the oil is also unrevealing, save for a subtle hint of heat.

Tasting a bit of fish on its own, it has a robust flavor. The texture is firm, again reminiscent of tuna. But not in a bad way. The salt level is about right. The olive oil is of good quality.

Time to Eat
Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets in olive oil with Ginger and Pepper over rice

Pulling them from the can, the fillets remained mostly intact. A two inch-long pepper appeared, but I saw no ginger. Could it be powdered or?

I poured the rest of the contents over the fish and rice, hoping the heat would make the spices "bloom" a bit.

I arranged things nicely for a photo, then started to dig in. As I ate, I noted the spices remained as undertones to the fish flavor. A background heat, but also a certain something I could only attribute to the ginger. It wasn't in-your-face, but I can only characterize it as something you'd miss if it was no longer there.

Halfway through, a sliver of ginger appeared from nowhere. I tasted it, but its inherent flavor had apparently been subdued by the canning process. It still had a crispness to it, however.

I liked this, even if the spices weren't as intense as anticipated. The pricing was quite reasonable, the vendor being the direct importer likely having much to do with that.

Main Takeaways
  • Good quality, flavorful mackerel, even without the seasonings
  • Subtle spices didn't wow me as I had hoped
  • Still a bargain

Brand: Angel Parodi
Description: Mackerel Fillets with Pepper & Ginger
Species: Scomber sp.
Country of Origin: Italy
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $4-5

Published on Leave a comment on Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Water

These Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Water came in a 3-pack from Whole Foods. They were inexpensive enough, about $3 per can when not on sale. I figured little to lose at the just under $7 sale price.

Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Water carton
Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Water open can
Initial impression upon opening the can: 3/5.

I really need to start paying better attention to labeling on the package, and less to just the price. I again overlooked the fact that these are not Eastern Atlantic pilchards, but instead Northern Pacific Sardinops sp. There are four in the can.

The aroma from the can is underwhelming, kind of aquarium fishy. I tasted a sip of the water apprehensively. Blah... They do have a reasonably nice appearance, though, for what they are.

Forging Ahead

They are tender, and fall apart somewhat readily when trying to lift them from the can. Not quite the "firm meaty texture". A taste of the fish is also underwhelming, bland. The package calls it "rich mild flavor". I note I also overlooked (or ignored) the "no salt added" on the carton. It should just say "no salt", even if the sodium is 70mg. It really tasted like no salt at all. On the upside, there are no scales, as the package proudly notes.

A little dash of hot sauce didn't help. Putting them on a saltine cracker only made them taste like cracker. Sigh... Now I have two more cans I don't know what to do with. I suppose I'll need to come up with something to hide these in so that I can at least benefit from the protein and Omega-3 content.

Main Takeaways
  • Inexpensive
  • Why can't these be pilchards?
  • Needed salt, badly
  • Note to self: Stop buying sardines in water

It's a shame these were so disappointing. Some Wild Planet selections I've found quite pleasant, others not so much.

I noted an observation made in a recent review by Canned Fish Files, one with which I concur. Plain Pacific sardines just don't taste as good as the pilchards from the Eastern Atlantic. At least not to those whose palate is accustomed or attuned to the latter. Perhaps it's telling, though, that you rarely if ever see Asian brands packing sardines from that region without some sauce or cooking technique, like miso paste or kabayaki.

Follow Up

I ended up putting the content of both the remaining cans, sans the water, over rice, and liberally dousing them with some Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil. Its heat, umami and salt made up for the blandness of the fish. So not all was lost.

Brand: Wild Planet
Description: Sardines in Water
Species: Sardinops sagax or melanostictus
Country of Origin: Thailand
Source: FAO61, Northwest Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $3