The Story of Sardines

Oct. 6, 2010 - PRLog -- Collectively they may represent Sardinia’s most beloved export. These days we associate them with grandfathers, spread out on toast, with the oil mingling with the butter, and sticking to the lips and mouth. We also tend to think of them when stuck in a rush hour train, empathising with them in those tightly packed cans.

Rich in oil, they are a great source of omega 3, good for the brain and the limbs, and according to studies, useful in staving off Alzheimer’s disease. With great doses of vitamin D, calcium, B12 and protein, sardines are something of a wonder snack, also very low in contaminants like mercury.

Their name comes from the Italian island Sardinia, where they were widely abundant throughout the second millennium. Though the terms sardines and pilchards are not precise and generally vary between regions. The Sardines fished around Sardinia are Genus Sardin, otherwise known as the 'European Sardine' or 'true pilchard'. Yet there is also the Spanish Sardine, as well as the Californian Sardine and many others all noted for their subtle differences.

For Sardine countries, Sardinia still retains some of its reputation as a sardine location and many variations on the fish can be sampled on holiday in your Sardinia villas. Yet mass fishing has led fisherman elsewhere as the Sardinian faction of fish has dwindled.

We mostly see the sardine as canned goods these days; this has allowed easy transport and means they won’t spoil in a few days. Sardines are generally fished at night, when they come up to the surface to feed on plankton. They are than capture by an encircling net, before quickly being put in brine on the fishing boats. From there the fish are transported to the cannery where they are placed in a waiting tank, allowing them time to defecate for the purposes of hygiene. At the cannery the fish are then prepared, heads and tails are chopped off, and they are washed before being cooked.

There are a good numbers of methods used in preparation with some places deep frying the fish, while others favour steaming them.  Then they are packed in to the cans, usually with some kind of condiment or oil. This can differ according to local tastes.  In the UK the sardines will either come in some kind of oil, usually sunflower oil, or else a tomato or mustard sauce. In Jamaica or New Orleans the fish can often be packed in oil with jalapeño peppers, or a spicy Louisiana sauce.

The convenience of having a long lasting canned food has made sardines particularly popular with older generations used to war time rationing, and now they are popular with campers and festival goers, to whom foods with their own keys are invaluable.

Yet in Spain there is also a strong tradition of fresh sardines, served as tapas. These are caught during the day and transported to the tapas bar still fresh where they are prepared in olive oil and spices. In Turkey the fish is also considered a delicacy where it is grilled and wrapped.

So why not try this nutritious snack yourself? Sardines and toast for breakfast.








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