These Ortiz El Velero Sardines in Olive Oil are from recent trip to World Market. I've tried their Bonito del Norte tuna, and wanted to see if that quality translated to their sardines. "El Velero" (the sailboat) seems to appear on most all their products, so it doesn't appear germane to these sardines.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.
These were relatively nice looking, but larger than I prefer. Yes, those are pelvic fins. Good quality olive oil filling the can. Clean fish aroma. The can says "traditional recipe", but I don't know what that means, we're just talking fish, oil and salt here.
Prying a fish out, it is firm enough to lift out whole. A big first bite reveals they are quite tender. The salt level is just right, perceptible but not overpowering. Some scales, but not enough to complain about. Still, I wanted to spice them up a bit, so I added a few drops of Valentina, a not-very-hot hot sauce.
I don't know if these are a re-buy for me, but if you like bigger pilchards, the quality is there in spades.
Some sites call these "Old Style", an apparent reference to the "A La Antigua" designation on the Spanish language cans which apparently have the same UPC code.
Main Takeaways
- Big, firm pilchards
- Tender nonetheless
- Good salt balance
Well-priced in quantities of four at Amazon.
Brand: Conservas Ortiz
Description: Sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.93 oz.
Price Range: $6-7