These Nice Cans Sardines in Tomato and Peppers came from Caputo's. They're a continuation of my journey in search of the best sardines in tomato. At $11, they weren't cheap, but I had been impressed by other Nice Cans cans in the past, so I hoped I wouldn't be disappointed.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.
My first thought was, "Where's the tomato?" Or the pepper, for that matter. Other than a slight pink tint to the olive oil, it looked like a tin of regular sardines. They were decent looking, though, packed silver bellies up and not too torn up at all. No apparent scales, tails or fins.
The aroma, however, was subtly tangy. A sip of the oil didn't really disclose anything, though. I was expecting at least a slight hit of pepper heat, but it didn't occur.
Let's Dive In
Lifting the fish from the tin, they are tender, with a couple out of the four breaking in the middle.
Underneath were all the goodies. Bright red, roasted pepper and diced onion. I couldn't tell initially if some of the red was tomato or not. The remaining liquid and bits in the tin were poured over everything.
An initial taste of fish and some of the pepper had a brightness to it. I referred to the carton to find that the non-fish ingredients were primarily a pepperonata consisting of smoke-roasted peppers, onions, garlic, oregano, vinegar, tomato and sea salt.
The vinegar explained the brightness and tang, but what struck me most was how far down the list the tomato was. I ultimately realized that the lighter red pulp, most visible on the top fish above, was about the extent of the tomato. Perhaps these should be called "in peppers with tomato" instead of the other way around. Regardless, the whole thing worked really well, I thought.
Back to the fish, they are tender and meaty, not dry at all. Quality sardines, packed well. I thought the pepperonata served them nicely. Sodium is an average 360mg. Overall, nothing to complain about product-wise.
Main Takeaways
- Tender, meaty pilchards
- Tasty pepperonata
- Tomato largely MIA, but not missed
I'd like to try these again, but I'm afraid the best one can do on the price is to buy them where I did. They are much cheaper on Nice Cans' own website, but if you try to order them there a pop-up says "Sorry, US resident, we only sell to you through Caputo's". Oh, well.
Brand: 100 Misterios / Nice Cans
Description: Sardines in tomato and peppers
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $11