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January 23, 2005

Sardines

sardines.jpgI am the only person I know who loves canned sardines -- the ones that come in those little tins that appear in comic strips (usually in reference to rush hour on the subway). I know people who like the slightly larger, more respectably sized sardines served in restaurants, and I know my father probably has a soft spot for the canned version, but for the most part people I know would wrinkle their noses and make gagging noises if presented with a freshly opened tin of Portuguese sardines in olive oil, their heads neatly chopped off and their little spines intact inside. It's a strong smell. It's not a particularly pretty sight.

It has become one of my favorite foods. I carefully scoop them out onto toasted or crusty bread and eat them as is. It may be that I need some nutrient I'm not getting otherwise, but I enjoy them the same way I enjoy anchovies -- they're fantastic because they have such a strong, instense flavor. Eating them reminds me of Spain, where I tried all sorts of new foods and loved nearly everything -- blood sausage and chorizo were a highlight, and eating at a somewhat authentic Catalan restaurant is always thrilling because of the food-related nostalgia. Back to the sardines, though -- the appeal at home has something to do with the fact that they're implicitly forbidden. I have to plan sardine snacks discreetly, since stinking up the apartment by eating them here is likely to garner a loud, passionate protest from D.

I recently discovered, courtesy Lidia, that anchovies can be used to perk up the flavor of pasta sauces, even for people who despise anchovies (you can sauté them with garlic in olive oil until they disintegrate). I wonder if there's a similar use for sardines. They would make a great sandwich for work, but I'm not so evil-minded that I'd punish my cube-mates with the stench.

Update

Just did a bit of research and found that:

Posted by csageday at January 23, 2005 11:45 PM

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