Deen, Author at Sardeenz!

Patagonia Provisions Smoked Mussels in EVOO

This can of Patagonia Provisions Smoked Mussels has been lingering on my shelf for a while. I got them at Whole Foods a couple of months ago when they were on sale. I really liked their spicy mussels, and hoped these would be as good.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

These look good. Smell good, too. The aroma of the sea and smoke combined. They look like they're in some kind of golden sauce. The ingredients say mussels, mussel broth, EVOO, water, salt, natural wood smoke.

Contrary to package direction, I ate them straight from the can. I counted twelve mussels, give or take one. They are firm and meaty.

Now for the taste. The non-mussel ingredients have somehow combined into this velvety, salty, buttery goodness that the smoke complements but doesn't overpower. It's almost like a New England style chowder in a can. I want to open another can right now, but don't have one.

Main Takeaways

A taste of the sea in a can
Nice meaty mussels
Flavor combination greater than the sum of its parts

See it at Amazon. The price there isn't too bad right now. The sale at WF put the Prime member price under $6.

Brand: Patagonia Provisions
Description: Patagonia Provisions Smoked Mussels in EVOO
Species: N/S
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $7-8

Ati Manel Horse Mackerel in Olive Oil with Basil

DeenLeave a comment

I ordered these Ati Manel Horse Mackerel in Olive Oil with Basil to both try something unfamiliar and also to make my order a little more profitable for the seller. They don't charge for shipping on any of their tinned fish, so I feel like it's only fair that I try to be a good trading partner and order at least 5 or 6 cans at a time.

Initial impression upon opening the can: Puzzled.

I thought, this being mackerel, I was going to see either a big chunk of meat or some nice slices. There was no photo of the open can on the website. I had to look at the carton twice to make sure I hadn't opened a can of sardines by mistake. But, no, I hadn't. Looking closer, yep, those are pectoral fins. They all had dorsal fins, too. The tails were mostly trimmed.

There wasn't much of an aroma, fish-wise or seasoning-wise. I know that the smell of fresh basil is quickly lost to the heat of cooking. The ingredients, other than the fish, say olive oil and "basil sauce", which is comprised of EVOO, peeled tomato, lemon juice and basil. Unfortunately, none of that really brought anything to the overall taste experience. In fact, I didn't get any of the taste for which I have come to enjoy canned mackerel. I think if the flavor of these had really knocked my socks off, I might have more easily overlooked the finny presentation. But it didn't.

I thought this was interesting. I noticed the box was a little beat-up looking, a little smashed. Then I opened it. The carton is about 20% deeper than it needs to be, relative to the depth of the can. Maybe they save money by not having to buy different size cartons.

Main Takeaways

Wasn't expecting whole fish
Too many fins
Basil flavor mostly cooked out

The vendor also sells through Amazon, but I don't see this one there. Other Ati Manel selections, though, are at the same price as direct from them, when purchased in lots of three. Free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

Brand: 100 Misterios / Ati Manel
Description: Horse Mackerel in Olive Oil with Basil
Species: Trachurus trachurus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $8

JOSÉ Gourmet Spiced Small Sardines

DeenLeave a comment

After being impressed by their sardines with lemon, I ordered a can of these JOSÉ Gourmet Spiced Small Sardines. I pretty much knew what to expect in terms of "spiced", but wanted to see how well JG applied it.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

The aromas of bay and clove were evident as soon as the can was cracked. As with the JG sardines with lemon, some nice looking fish. I was expecting smaller, but the size and count, six, is the same as the can of lemon sardines. Each fish lifted from the can whole without breaking, but the meat was tender and not dry. No scales evident.

The usual spice suspects were in the bottom: a slice each of pickle and carrot, a clove, a small piri-piri pepper and a few flakes of bay leaf. White pepper and salt round out the seasonings. The olive oil was nicely infused with them, the overall balance being just right. The carrot still had a little tooth to it. Not much in the way of heat from the piri-piri, though.

Examining the box, I see these are 3.2 oz. vs. 4.2 oz. for the lemon variation. So, apparently they are "small", even thought the count was the same. I did note the can seemed somewhat shallow.

Anyway, as spiced sardines go, these are top-notch, albeit a little spendy.

Main Takeaways

Thought there'd be more fish
Well-balanced seasonings
Per ounce, pricey

See it at Amazon. Currently not well-priced there, though.

Brand: 100 Misterios / JOSÉ Gourmet
Description: Spiced Small Sardines
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $10

Matiz Wild Sardines with Natural Lemon Essence

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I had picked up these Matiz Wild Sardines with Natural Lemon Essence at World Market a couple of months ago, and am just now getting around to trying them. They were $5, and I had seen good things about the brand.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

Another of those stiff-to-open cans. The skin is a little ragged, but there's something about skin-on pilchards being packed silver belly side up that makes them more visually appealing. Four fish here, a number more to my liking. Fresh sardine aroma. A taste of the oil-- they are packed in sunflower-- reveals a very subtle lemon essence. Plucking individual fish from the can, they are tender enough to fall apart without much resistance.

Tasting one fish on its own, I found it acceptably mild in flavor. I dumped the rest, oil and all, over some hot rice, which seemed to make the lemon flavor "bloom" a bit. There's no slice of lemon in the can. After a recent packaging refresh, the ingredients now list "natural lemon aroma" as the flavoring. Formerly, it said "natural lemon essential oil".

The carton has a helpful little blurb: Rather than "ma-TEEZ" or "ma-TEES", Matiz is pronounced "ma-TEETH". That can be attributed to the Castilian dialect of Spain, the legend being that a medieval Spanish king's lisp was emulated by his subjects.

I see they have also had a recent price increase at World Market, now $5.49. I think, all things considered, they're still worth it.

Main Takeaways

Nice and tender
No lemon in the can, but still lemony
Price has increased, but still worth it

See it at Amazon. Still under $5 each in quantities of 5 there.

Brand: Connorsa / Matiz
Description: Sardines with Natural Lemon Essence
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $5-6

Henry & Lisa’s Wild Sardines in Spring Water

DeenLeave a comment

I was at Whole Foods stocking upon some Wild Planet selections while they were still on sale when I noticed these Henry & Lisa's Wild Sardines in Spring Water. They weren't on sale, but I figured if Whole Foods stocked them, they must be okay. At just under $4, I decided to try them out.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

Not the prettiest fish. Ragged skin and more than a few scales. Very faint fish aroma. Three big pilchards stuffed in to the can. The meat is firm and mild in flavor. Bigger fish, however, means a bigger, crunchy spine, if that's your thing. I've often noted my preference for slightly smaller pilchards, which tend to be more tender, and the flavor more delicate.

I approached this can with some level of apprehension. I'm accustomed to sardines packed in oil, and feared the spring water packing might detract from the experience in some way. Quite frankly, I could barely tell it wasn't packed in oil. And that's just probably because so many cans that say packed "in oil" should really say "with oil".

Main Takeaways

Bigger fish than preferred
Tender, mild meat
No watery impression

This brand also sells sardines packed in EVOO. They also have a couple of different Alaskan salmon which retail at WF in the $7 range.

They've recently updated their packaging with more eye-catching graphics. That and a quirky vibe seem to be all the rage with premium tinned fish marketing departments these days.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: EcoFish, Inc. / Henry & Lisa's
Description: Sardines in spring water
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.25 oz.
Price Range: $3-4

Sadaf Moroccan Sardines in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I see dozens of Sadaf brand items at a local Mediterranean market and cafe, but never these Sadaf Moroccan Sardines in Olive Oil. I paid a little more than I probably would have liked to at Amazon, but wanted to check them out.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

This was another of those super stiff cans you need a crowbar to open. The "easy open" ring on the carton is mistaken. Once open, there was only a mild fishy aroma. The oil was neutral in taste, having picked up only a little of the fish flavor.

Very tight packing, making extracting a single, whole fish impossible without it breaking apart. It almost felt more like a can of tuna. The flavor was mild, typical of most skinless boneless pilchards. This was also one of those slightly deeper than normal cans, so the portion, even though fused into a big mass, was quite generous.

On the whole, I've not found much to distinguish one skinless & boneless sardine over another besides price and availability. Unfortunately, at $6, I doubt I'll be buying these again. The more highly-regarded King Oscar of the same can still be had most anywhere for half that. Of course, I do realize Amazon pricing on single can purchases can be inflated. But these were "sold by" Sadaf themselves, who sell them direct on their own website for $3 (plus shipping).

Main Takeaways

A little pricey for what they are
Fish fused together
Generous portion

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Sadaf Foods
Description: Skinless & Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $6

Wild Planet Wild Mackerel in EVOO

DeenLeave a comment

I bought this Wild Planet Wild Mackerel Skinless & Boneless Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil on sale for under $4 at Whole Foods, with an eye toward comparing it to their smoked mackerel.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Reasonably full packing of fish. Neutral aroma, fresh, not fishy. The EVOO is also neutral in flavor. As with most tinned mackerel, the meat is pale in color, firm in texture, but flakes readily.

Let's Eat

Not wanting to waste the EVOO, I poured most of what was left in the tin over the fish and rice. This would alleviate any impression of dryness that might be had.

The flavor of the fish is mild and pleasant enough to stand on its own. But, I'm always looking for different ways to spice things up. To that end I added, variously, a few dashes of Valentina for some mild heat, a spoon or two of MW Polar Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce, and a sprinkle of a Sriracha flavored furikake. All separately, of course. Of the three, I thought the garlic chili sauce, a taberu rayu style condiment, actually, best complemented the flavor of the mackerel.

A blurb on the carton calls mackerel a "plentiful, underutilized species', and I'd have to agree. I'm more satisfied with most of the cans of mackerel I try vs. half of the cans of tuna.

Main Takeaways

Generous portion
Mild flavor, maybe too mild
Priced well, better if on sale

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Wild Planet
Description: Wild Mackerel Skinless & Boneless Fillets in EVOO
Species: Scomber colias
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $5