Sardeenz!

Titus Sardines in Soybean Oil and Chili Pepper

I had seen this brand, Titus Sardines, on Amazon, but didn't know what to expect, so I largely forgot about them. On a recent trip to a local international market, I just discovered they stocked tinned fish in three separate locations in the store, and there they were.

There were literally dozens of cans on the shelf, so I thought, "These must be popular." Three different types were available, but most all of the cans of one type had rusty rims, and many of another had something leaked on (from?) them. All of them were packed in soybean oil, which was disappointing. These with chili pepper seemed the most appealing, and since they lacked the flaws of the other two, I bought one can to try.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 3/5.

They were just some big pilchards, not very pretty ones at that. The upside, if there was one, was that what initially looked to be two turned out to be three. There was no fishy aroma. But overall they were kind of tasteless, no real heat, just blah. Working through the can, there turned out to be four peppers of some type under the fish, greenish, and without much heat to them. Tasting the oil provided a little more heat, but nothing remarkable. Mostly meh... Oh, well. They were only $2.19, but I thought the shelf price said $1.69. Won't be buying them again so, no matter. Kind of relieved I didn't overpay elsewhere. Live, learn.

Update: I visited the store again about 3 months later, and took a harder look at the stock. At that time the shelf price did say $2.19. The mountain of cans were still there, but I noticed the "best by" dates on all of them were less than a year away. Apparently, they had just bought a lot of them, and no, they're not that popular.

Brand: UNIMER/Titus
Description: Sardines in Olive Oil and Chili Pepper
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.37 oz.
Price Range: $2-3

Patagonia Provisions Sardines & White Beans

DeenLeave a comment

Purchased these at the same time as the black beans version, on sale at Whole Foods. I really liked that one and hoped this one would be as good.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.25/5.

The skin was a bit roughed up, so it didn't present as well as one would like to see.

Surprising that the white bean version is more than twice the calories of the black bean one. If I had to choose, calories aside, I think I prefer the black bean version. It has more of a sauce as opposed to an herbed olive oil.

Dumped out onto the rice, you can see all the add-ins: organic white beans, leeks, red bell pepper and the three medium-sized pilchards in EVOO with garlic, lemon juice, parsley and thyme. Again, very tasty but 270 calories (without the rice, 490 with), 150 more than the black bean version. A cup of the microwaveable Minute Rice, preferably the jasmine or basmati, makes for a perfect lunch portion.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Patagonia Provisions
Description: Sardine & White Beans
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $7-8

MW Polar Smoked Brisling in Canola Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I wasn't paying close enough attention, and didn't notice two things: that these MW Polar Smoked Brisling were packed in canola oil, and they also come packed in olive oil. I'm not sure why the olive oil version should be 50% more expensive. So is the "in water" version. Or maybe it's just another example of the pricing games played by certain online sellers.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

These are nicely packed, largely unblemished. The smoke aroma is room-filling. If smoked fish is not your thing, these are not for you. And it's real smoke, not an added flavoring. The bronze hue of the skin confirms it. A slight quibble: the can says 2 layers, but I counted 14 fish. You can see 11 of them in the just-opened can, so it's not two equal layers. I'd buy these again, and hope I can catch them when the olive oil version is priced more in line with what these were.

Update: Found the olive oil-packed version at Walmart in a 4.23 oz. "exhibition" can for only $2.46. Cha-ching!

Brand: MW Polar
Description: Smoked Brisling in Canola Oil
Species: Sprattus sprattus
Country of Origin: Latvia
Source: FAO 27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.52 oz.
Price Range: $4

Ortiz Bonito del Norte White Tuna

DeenLeave a comment

This Ortiz Bonito del Norte White Tuna was on sale at Whole Foods. From Spain, Bonito del Norte (Northern Beauty) is albacore white tuna, famed for its mild and delicate flavor. This selection, from Conservas Ortiz, is a prime example.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Solid white tuna, with a delicate aroma. The can is so tightly packed getting the first bit out was a struggle. The olive oil is very neutral, neither adding nor subtracting from the flavor. The taste was of a very mild fish, with none of the "metallic" note I experienced in another, more expensive brand recently.

This would be very good in a Sicilian Tuna & Orange Salad.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Conservas Ortiz
Description: Albacore Tuna in Olive Oil
Species: Thunnus alalunga
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.24 oz.
Price Range: $6-7

Northern Catch Smoked Oysters with Red Chili Pepper

DeenLeave a comment

Picked up these Northern Catch Smoked Oysters with Red Chili Pepper at Aldi on a whim. You don't really see any variation in smoked oysters beyond some brands-- Roland comes to mind-- that grade and sell them according to size. Northern Catch, the Aldi exclusive brand, has two versions of smoked oysters, a regular smoked and this one "with red chili pepper". Both retail for under a buck and a half.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

As with most canned smoked oysters, the aroma is about the same. There was the red pepper, right there on top. I counted 12 oysters in this particular can, whole as per the package, and about medium size as canned smoked oysters go. Texturally, about average for smoked oysters. Some were "meatier" than others.

Like the regular version, these are packed in cottonseed oil. The pepper imparted only the slightest heat to the contents. I might not have realized it was there had I not known beforehand. Tasting the pepper, I was surprised it didn't infuse the oil or oysters more, as it was rather piquant. All things considered, however, hard to beat at the price.

Brand: Aldi/Northern Catch
Description: Smoked Oysters with red chili pepper
Species: Crassostrea Gigas
Country of Origin: China
Source: Farmed
Skin/Bones: N/A
Net Wt: 3.0 oz.
Price Range: $1-2

A Tale of Two Aldi Sardines in Hot Sauce

DeenLeave a comment

Well, they went and messed with it again. You may remember my enthusiastic review of these some time ago. When I went to restock last week, there were absolutely no sardines on the shelf. Zero, zilch, nada. This week explained the absence. They changed them from pilchards to sprats, and from harissa to something more akin to an actual hot sauce.

I bought three cans anyway. Then I went to another Aldi and bought all of the old type they had left, about a dozen cans. Then I went home, and opened one of the new cans to assess the situation.

Initial impression upon opening the can 3.5/5.

They now come in a printed, unboxed can. As mentioned above, they're now sprats. They are also now 3.75 oz. vs. 4.25 oz. Shaking the unopened can, you can feel the slosh. There was space enough left for probably two more fish, so it was possible for them to have remained 4.25 oz. Shrinkflation indeed.

Taste-wise, they aren't bad at all. The sauce ingredients are quite different. Rather than the mild, warm heat of harissa, they now have an utterly piquant sauce. Not burning fire hot, but that kind of vinegary heat that sets your face and scalp to sweating. They're either very tender or mushy, depending upon your point of view. Trying to lift individual fish out of the can with culinary tweezers resulted in most breaking in half.

They are now a product of Poland rather than Morocco, and are sourced from FAO27 (Northeast Atlantic) rather than FAO34 (Eastern Central Atlantic). Looking for nutritional facts, I found none, only a notation to write to the address listed on the can.

I suppose I can live with these. Still 99 cents.

Brand: Aldi/Northern Catch
Description: Sardines in Hot Sauce
Species: Sprats
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeastern Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $1

Patagonia Provisions Sardines & Black Beans

DeenLeave a comment

Got these Patagonia Provisions Sardines & Black Beans mainly because Patagonia Provisions is on sale for 30% off (thru 7/15/25, reg. $7.79) for Amazon Prime members at Whole Foods. It also seemed that, over rice, this would make a good lunch. A banner on the box says, "Ready for quick meals", so there you go.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

Three medium-sized pilchards in a viscous sauce. Clean-looking fish with no apparent scales. As with most all cans with add-ins, they're under the fish.

Dumping the can out onto the rice, you can see all the goodies: organic black beans, corn and the three pilchards in a sauce full of herbs and spices. All in all, very tasty at only 120 calories (without the rice, 340 with). Firm, meaty fish. And the add-ins don't mean there's less fish in the can, which is a plus. I also got the white beans version to try later.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Patagonia Provisions
Description: Sardine & Black Beans
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $7-8