spicy Archives - Sardeenz!

Pollastrini Spicy Sardines

It's unusual that the opportunity arises to compare two closely-related cans back-to-back such as these Pollastrini Spicy Sardines and their vintage counterpart. By all accounts, the vintage version should have provided a superior experience. Let's take a look at what I found.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

They appear very much the same as the vintage version, with one exception: There are a few small peppers. As before, they still retain their tails. There are seven fish in the can. There's a clean, fresh fish aroma. A sip of the oil, like the vintage version, has only the most subtle amount of heat.

Extracting fish from the can, they are tender, wanting to break in half somewhat easily. I note a few scales, but nothing major. I tried a pepper to see how hot it was. Not very.

Now for the real test. How do they compare to their vintage cousins? A bite consisting of half a fish is satisfyingly tender. The pepper hasn't substantially translated to the fish. As I continue through the can, I find myself wishing they were a tad saltier. Not that they were bland.

As sardines go, these were great flavor-wise and texturally. Not dry at all. Tails aside, I really liked the fact that there were seven in the can, as opposed to four or three. Or sometimes even two. Nine out of ten times, smaller pilchards translates to more tender and flavorful fish.

The date code on the tin indicates these were canned in late 2024. All things considered, the time between canning and consumption wasn't terribly different from the vintage version, about a year. Did it make a difference? To my palate, not really. Three cans of the regular version can be had for the less than the price of two cans of the vintage. I think I'd be happier going that way, if I'm being honest.

Main Takeaways

Good quality, flavorful fish
The "spicy" is again underrepresented
I'd buy these again, and they made me want to try other Pollastrini regular tins

Brand: Pollastrini
Description: Spicy sardines in olive oil
Species: Clupea pilchardus (Sardina pilchardus)
Country of Origin: Italy
Source: FAO37, Mediterranean Sea
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $6

Pollastrini Vintage 2023 Spicy Sardines

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I picked up these Pollastrini Vintage 2023 Spicy Sardines in Olive Oil on a bit of a whim. The concept of improving sardines by aging is not unknown to me, but I rarely see any available from the usual sources. I decided to see if there was anything to it, or was it just hype.

"Millesimate" is an Italian term roughly meaning vintage. But applied to sardines, it means those caught between September and December, when the fish are at their meatiest. They are canned and then "aged" for 6 months before release to market. During this aging period, natural enzymes in the fish are said to be responsible for improving the flavor and aroma.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.7/5.

They look nice, but don't really have an appearance I can attribute to aging. The oil is clear, no indication of pepper infusion. A sip of the oil has maybe a hint of pepper. Hard to say.

There are seven in the can. They still have some fins. And tails. Unusual for pilchards, but perhaps not for those from Italian canneries. A bite of just fish reveals they are firm and meaty, not dry at all. A few scales here and there. Pulling them from the can, I find no pepper. Odd.

Let's Try Them

I was hoping, after getting them all out of the can and over some rice, the pepper flavor might become more apparent, but no.

Continuing on, I find the taste pleasant, even if not all that spicy. I'm still wondering if a can of their regular vintage sardines was somehow mis-packaged.

Setting aside the lack of heat, and concentrating on just the fish, I assume the mellowness of the fish flavor to be the result of the aging. On the other hand, these were, by the packaging and codes on the tin, canned in 2023. Not really all that long ago. I'd be willing to bet there's a lot of "non-vintage" product on store shelves currently that was canned more than a year ago, in 2024.

Overall, a little disappointing the $10 investment didn't result in any kind of epiphany. Perhaps an opportunity to try some other vintage selections in the future will provide the revelation I didn't get here. Reviews I've seen of previous Pollastrini vintages show the presence of peppers and oil tinged red as a result. I'm not sure what happened with these.

Main Takeaways

Good quality, flavorful fish
The "spicy" is MIA
Perhaps my palate is not yet discerning enough to fully appreciate vintage sardines

I actually have a can of the regular, non-vintage version of these I'll be trying straightaway. Perhaps the immediate, back-to-back comparison will provide some insights.

Brand: Pollastrini
Description: Vintage 2023 spicy sardines in olive oil
Species: Clupea pilchardus (Sardina pilchardus)
Country of Origin: Italy
Source: FAO37, Mediterranean Sea
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $9-10

Espinaler Baby Sardines in Spicy Olive Oil

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First foray into a group of more premium selections I've accumulated lately, these Espinaler Baby Sardines in Spicy Olive Oil are a real treat. The 10/12 designation on the carton means you are to expect 10 to 12 fish. At first glance, you might think so many fish would mean sprats, but these are pilchards.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Tightly packed can. Nice skin, torn only in a few spots, probably to be expected with a pack this tight. Clean sardine aroma. Some have partial tails, but no prickliness. A few scales to be seen, but not enough to complain about.

Pulling fish from the can, they are tender. Melt in your mouth tender, in fact. There are 5 more under the 5 visible. The spice is subtle, letting the delicate taste of the fish shine though. The ingredients list only "spicy aroma" with no further elaboration. It appears to be bay laurel at least, with perhaps the slightest hint of clove. No real heat apparent. There is no smokiness, and none is indicated on the label.

The quality is what you should expect from a premium label like Espinaler. These in the blue box are from their "classic" line. The ones in a linen toned carton are their "premium" selections. Those are more costly, and don't necessarily have corresponding versions in the classic line.

Main Takeaways

Pilchards, not sprats
Subtle spiciness
Super tender

Recommended. I'd have no problem ordering these again.

Brand: Espinaler
Description: Baby Sardines in Spicy Olive Oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4 oz.
Price Range: $6-7

Patagonia Provisions Spicy Mussels

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Caught them on a sale at Whole Foods, where they go for normally about $8 a can. Mussels are always a nice break from sardines, mackerel, etc. And they're typically a cut above the usually pedestrian smoked oysters, as these Patagonia Provisions Spicy Mussels in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil definitely are.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

These look nice, and the can is full. I counted 20 or 21 whole mussels. The banner on the box says "Hot, Tangy, Sweet", and that's about right. Not too hot, though. Tangy as well, and I guess the sweet really comes from the mussels themselves. Really tasty.

The box urges you to "flip can onto a plate so seasonings flow evenly over mussels." I dumped them over some rice for a quick lunch. The image on the Patagonia website oversells the red bell pepper content a bit. Maybe chalk that up to food-styling photography. If these were plain, I'd put a few dashes of Salsa Espinaler on them, but that's not necessary. I think the same sensibility was used when concocting this flavor profile, though.

This is the first can of mussels I've noticed that honestly lists mussel broth as the primary liquid, with the EVOO being sixth on the list of ingredients.

Main Takeaways

Visually appealing
Seasoned as advertised
Plenty of mussels

Recommended. I'd buy these again. Hopefully on sale.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Patagonia Provisions
Description: Patagonia Provisions Spicy Mussels in EVOO
Species: N/S
Country of Origin: Spain, Chile
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic; FAO87, Southeast Pacific
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $7-8

Natural Catch Spicy Yellowfin Tuna Filets

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Caught these Natural Catch Spicy Yellowfin Tuna Filets, new and on sale at Whole Foods. Regular $5.49 marked down to $3.77 for Amazon Prime members. One of a few cans of various premium tuna I've acquired recently to try.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

Nice presentation with the pepper visible. Packed reasonably full of layers of yellowfin tuna filet. Ingredients list vegetable broth in addition to organic EVOO and spices. A nice, warm heat from the seasoning, not overpowering. No dry mouth feel like some tuna, and a nice, fresh tuna taste.

Natural Catch is an up-and-comer in the premium tuna arena. Based upon this can, I'd say they will be a contender. Recommended.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Natural Catch
Description: Yellowfin Tuna in Spicy EVOO
Species: Yellowfin tuna
Country of Origin: Viet Nam
Source: Globally sourced, pole & line caught
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $5-6

Fishwife Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil

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Dropped in to Whole Foods and found this Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil and other Fishwife products on sale for 20% off for Amazon Prime members, so I took a chance. Premium tuna has been last on my list. One, for the price compared to regular canned tuna. (How much better can it be?) And for two, what am I going to do, make tuna salad with an $8 can of fish? No, it has to be magnificent on its own, would you not think?

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Man, that's some pretty looking fish, and it's packed in there tight. Solid albacore tuna with no slosh, no headroom. No skin, and no mystery bits. Glistening olive oil tinged red with paprika and cayenne. I tasted a little of the oil on its own, and it packs some serious afterburner heat. Not like in-your-face jalapeno hot, just more like what you'd expect from the combination of hot paprika, cayenne and white pepper. I wasn't really getting any of the garlic, though.

Having tasted fresh-caught tuna and mackerel from the Gulf, I was hoping to come closer that experience than regular canned tuna. But I don't know, it just didn't blow my hair back. I found it a tad dry and maybe a bit metallic (for lack of a better word). Perhaps that's just the nature of the beast. But definitely not what I was expecting from premium albacore. I also bought a can of albacore with the preserved lemon, so I'll have to compare to that at some point to make a final call.

Main Takeaways

Nice looking, solid tuna
A little on the dry side
Will try another can to compare

See it on Amazon.

Brand: Fishwife
Description: Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil
Species: Albacore tuna
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $8