Casablanca Archives

These Casablanca Sardines in Tomato Sauce came from the same market as the Casablanca Spicy Sardines with Hot Peppers. I guess they were also $1.99 as, for some reason I recorded that I had purchased two tins of those instead of one of each. Then I apparently stashed these way, and forgot about them until just now.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

More huge pilchards. Nicely packed, though, not roughed up at all. At least this time it wasn't one of those stiff, hard-to-open tins. Which also makes me wonder how many canneries Casablanca uses. Closer inspection shows these with a BB date of only six months away, odd for a product that had just been stocked by the market.

The aroma is fresh, and a taste of the tomato sauce reveals a brightness of flavor. The sauce is a basic one, being only water, tomato paste and sunflower oil.

Let's Eat

Lifting them out of the tin, they want to break in two. Stuffed under one of the two really large pilchards is one smallish one, also a bit "fall-apart-y".

I noted a few scales in the transfer to the bowl, but nothing major. After whisking it up a bit, I poured the sauce remaining in the can over everything.

The fish are incredibly tender, with melt-in-your-mouth level texture. Nice and moist as well, with a good sardine flavor.

Not really salty at all, only 210mg. sodium for the entire tin. But I didn't feel compelled to take any measures to address it.

I think the age on these has proven that vintage sardines are a valid concept. If kept at moderate ambient temperature, tins with a couple years on them can be a premium experience. Even better when the tin is only $2.

Main Takeaways

Tender, moist fish
Just okay tomato sauce
Bargain price

Brand: Spice N' More Corp. / Casablanca
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $2

These Casablanca Spicy Sardines with Hot Peppers came from a local Middle-Eastern market. I've learned to check there regularly, as I've found several selections I haven't seen elsewhere, and they seem to get new things frequently. Moroccan sardines at $2 a tin felt like a challenge worth taking.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

It's one of those stiff, scary-to-open cans with the squiggly ridges on the lid. Fortunately, I get it open without incident. It's just two huge pilchards, which I've come to expect from inexpensively-priced Moroccan sardines. Skin is a little roughed up. The oil is tinged red from peppers, I assume, but I don't see any yet. The aroma is a little fishier than I'd like. A sip of the oil, listed as sunflower, has a heat that doesn't hit until the back of the throat. I see some bones sticking out from the tail end of the loins. No scales or fins, though.

Let's Eat

Heaving them out over rice, I find two bright red peppers underneath. There's a few tablespoons of the oil left in the tin, and I poured most over the fish and rice.

I think what I like least about getting overgrown pilchards is the sense that I'm butchering a side of beef rather than enjoying some little fishes. Nonetheless, the meat is tender and moist, not mushy, and reasonably melt-in-your-mouth in texture.

The fish flavor, like the aroma, is a bit stronger, but not off-putting. The pepper flavor is low but steady, no real complaint there. They don't seem all that salty, and the carton confirms a low 200mg. sodium. I didn't feel compelled, however, to add anything salty to make up for it.

Main Takeaways

Why couldn't they be smaller
Tender, meaty fish regardless
Maybe could have used some salt

Brand: Spice N' More Corp. / Casablanca
Description: Spicy sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.375 oz.
Price Range: $2