Sardeenz!

Sea Tales Sardines in EVOO

I got these Sea Tales Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil on sale at Whole Foods mainly to give the brand a try. I figured I should start with their basic sardines in EVOO. Let's see how it went.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 3/5.

he first thing you notice when you open the can is that it's two large, fat, humongous pilchards. Maybe it's not like that all the time, but this time it was. To be honest, for the money spent on these, I'd really rather a can of pilchards be 3 to 5 fish. Bigger fish just means bigger spines and bones. Also, there were more scales than I expected to see at this price point.

On the upside, these had a fairly clean aroma and taste, which is good. The olive oil tastes blandly neutral, not quite what one would expect of a good EVOO.

The package uses a paper overwrap typical of some of the premium tinned fish brands. It has some nice verbiage about family and Cornwall, UK history. But these are produced in Portugal. I later learned it wasn't uncommon for Cornish fishing fleets to bring their catch across the Bay of Biscay to Portugal, either for processing or for sale.

These also come in a "EVOO with lemon" version, but I'm now ambivalent about trying them. I'm going to try to look online to see if this "two big fish per can" is a regular thing or not.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Sea Tales
Description: Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $5-6

Salsa Espinaler Review

DeenLeave a comment

Another page here covers the history of Salsa Espinaler. But it might be a good idea to do a hands-on review, in order to give a sense of what to expect. The sauce was devised by one of the owners of the Espinaler Tavern in Spain in the 1950s as an "appetizer sauce" to be used primarily on a variety of tinned seafood. I obtained a bottle from an online source after an unproductive search of local stores.

At first glance, the sauce looks like a typical hot sauce, but less viscous. There are quite a bit of extremely fine, undissolved solids-- mostly red, but some black. Some settle to the bottom of the bottle and a good deal which appear to remain in suspension.

Instructions say to shake well before using, and to refrigerate after opening. My guess would be that if used up quickly enough, refrigeration might not be necessary. There doesn't appear to be anything that might cause rancidity.

Taste Test

First, I tasted the sauce by itself, a few drops on a spoon. The shaker top dispenses only a few drops-worth per shake. The initial impression is very vinegar-forward, probably a cider vinegar unless the other ingredients are doing something to alter the flavor of a plain distilled or spirit vinegar.

The next impression is of a slight saltiness. The label says that, among other things, the sauce is "not a significant source" of sodium (or anything else). At half a calorie per tablespoon, we'll just have to guess that some salt is among the unnamed "spices".

There is a very faint heat to the sauce. The second ingredient is red pepper, and it is evident in that it sticks to the sides of the bottle, much like that of a typical hot sauce. But it isn't the primary flavor note.

If you think about it, many condiments have a strong vinegar component: ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, salad dressings. Or perhaps more accurate to say an acid component, as, if not vinegar, lemon or lime juice. Acidity can cut through richness, can "wake up" taste buds.

Salsa Epinaler reminds me in some ways of a simpler version of an Eastern North Carolina barbecue sauce. In that region, "barbecue" is whole hog pulled pork, seasoned with a thin, vinegar-based sauce containing salt and spices like cayenne, paprika and chili powder. Nothing like the thick, sweet sauces popular in other barbecue meccas like Memphis, Kansas City or Texas.

So far, I've tried it on plain sardines, smoked oysters, plain mackerel and calamari. I think it brings an interesting dimension to tinned seafood, and keeping a bottle on hand is worth considering.

Other Variations

A second, "hot" version adds cayenne, and a third adds habanero for an extra-hot experience. There's also a fourth, an organic version of the regular flavor that, like their organic tinned fish products, is labeled "BIO"; a sea green colorway serves to differentiate those products.

See them at Amazon.

Trader Joe’s Calamari Pieces in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

Time for something a little different, I picked up a can of these Trader Joe's Calamari Pieces in Olive Oil. I think I was expecting the type of calamari like you'd get as an appetizer at a restaurant. You know, like little rings and tentacles swimming in a bath of some kind of flavorful marinade. This is not that.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 3.5/5.

This is described on the can as being "jumbo squid", so these are just chunks of meat from a much larger mollusk. It doesn't have an aroma I would consider squid-like. It's a bit chewy, like one might expect, and a bit bland. Perhaps that's why squid is more likely to be served marinated, or deep-fried to be dipped in a sauce.

Consequently, I tried pepping it up with a dash of Salsa Espinaler and that seemed to improve things. I'll have to see if there's such a thing as a marinated tinned calamari. This one didn't really make me want to buy more, unless I thought of a good way to jazz it up somehow.

Brand: Trader Joe's
Description: Calamari Pieces in Olive Oil
Species: Jumbo squid
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27 Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.91 oz.
Price Range: $4

Chicken of the Sea Smoked Oysters in Oil

DeenLeave a comment

One day, I will find the quintessential canned smoked oyster. Today is not that day. Don't get me wrong, these Chicken of the Sea Smoked Oysters in Oil weren't terrible, just not particularly remarkable.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

The size was small to about about average, 17 or so in the can. But the can is packed quite full. I couldn't see them fitting any more in there. The oil is neutral, and listed as "cottonseed and/or sunflower", which is common for tinned smoked oysters. There's not much of an aroma to them.

For smoked oysters, they weren't particularly smoky tasting. The texture was typical of most supermarket brands, a little mealy rather than meaty. Eaten on crackers, and served with other snacky foods, they would be OK.

The search continues.

Brand: Chicken of the Sea
Description: Smoked Oysters in Oil
Species: N/S
Country of Origin: N/S
Source: N/S
Skin/Bones: N/A
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $2-3

Cole’s Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

Tried this Cole's Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil to compare to the King Oscar Mackerel in Sweet Thai Chile Sauce. In contrast to the Cole's Mussels, they are packed in what appears to be completely olive oil. I know this because, for the second time in as many days, the recoil of the lid finally giving way resulted in a big sploosh all over my shirt.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

Compared to the King Oscar, the texture is quite different, more tender. There are several slices of skinless boneless meat, which appear to be cut across the grain. That made them readily fall apart when trying to get them out of the can.

I ate this without condiments or crackers, in order to get a sense of the taste and texture. I'll try this one again with some Espinaler sauce or harissa. While very good, mackerel by itself can be a bit bland. Nutrition facts say 170 calories per can, which I find suspicious, being it's in olive oil. The King Oscar in olive oil (which I haven't tried yet) is listed as 240 calories at roughly the same serving size.

Brand: Cole's Seafood
Description: Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil
Species: North Atlantic chub mackerel
Country of Origin: Cape Verde, West Africa
Source: FAO34, East Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $3

Nuri Sardines with Lemon Special Edition

DeenLeave a comment

Another selection in the quest for lemon-y sardine goodness. These Nuri Sardines in Olive Oil with Lemon Special Edition are a cut above. Whenever you see a review of sardines where they talk about "clean" tasting, these are an example of what they're talking about. When you open the can, there's not that canned tuna aroma so prevalent with cheap supermarket sardines.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

When you start to pay above $5 or $6 a can, you also start to expect a more premium product. These have a subtle lemon flavor courtesy of a fragment of a lemon slice. But that's all that's necessary because the lemon doesn't have to fight to overcome an overt fishy taste more often found in cheaper selections. An added plus is the fact that the can is tightly packed with a solid five pilchards with little to no wiggle room. Highly recommended.

Interesting packaging. The otherwise unmarked can is covered by a paper overwrap printed with all the particulars, which is then sealed in a cellophane wrapper.

See it on Amazon. Available in a 4-pack, but the price per can is better than elsewhere.

Brand: Pinhais/Nuri
Description: Sardines in Olive Oil with Lemon
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $7

Cole’s Smoked Mussels in EVOO

DeenLeave a comment

Taking a break from the quest for the ultimate sardines with lemon. Here's some Cole's Smoked Mussels in EVOO. The can I opened says, I swear, "in extra virgin olive oil". But no photo I can find online, even at their website says that, only "in olive oil". No matter, I'll buy another can tomorrow and photograph it myself.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 3.5/5.

A kind of monochromatic look to the meat. No variegated coloration like some brands. Perhaps it's a difference in species. The aroma is about what you'd expect, that of shellfish and the sea. The texture is meaty, not mealy like smoked oyster can be.

But look at the actual photo I took of the just-opened can (click to enlarge). I left the glare of the flash so you can see the droplets of oil on the surface of the packing liquid. Oil doesn't form droplets on the surface of itself. I really wonder what is the legal definition of "in oil" for tinned fish products.

Anyway, (lack of) olive oil aside, these were still tasty. Roughly, I estimate there were 18-20 in the can, most whole with only a few ragged bits. True hardwood smoked, not just added smoke flavoring. Paired with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the mineral notes of each complimented the other nicely. The wine's bright acidity a contrast to the savory.

Brand: Cole's Seafood
Description: Smoked Mussels in EVOO
Species:
Country of Origin: Chile
Source: Farm raised
Skin/Bones: N/A
Net Wt: 4.0 oz.
Price Range: $3-4