Of course we are constantly trying new sardines and we actually still eat them willingly and gladly for our own pleasure. However, our last really big sardine tasting was now already a good two years ago. That is why it was a special pleasure when Jörn Gutowski from Try Foods contacted us and asked if we would be interested in a joint tasting. We didn't need to be asked twice ... of course we were up for it! Besides, it is always good to refresh your knowledge now and then, to put your taste buds to the test and re-evaluate what you have stored away. Individual preferences may have changed and with vintage sardines the maturation has progressed further ... a lot can change in two years!
The location for the tasting was also quickly found, because where could you taste sardines better than at the Sardine Bar?!
The tasting program of the day followed a similar logic to our sardine seminars and so we started with the country comparison.
Country comparison: Spain, Portugal, France
Here we tasted sardines from Portugal, Spain and Brittany one after the other – each only in pure olive oil – and compared them with each other.
The Spanish sardines by Ramon Peña are the smallest in our range with a length of only approx. 7 centimeters. Therefore, they are naturally less fatty and also less flavorful than the larger ones – because fat is known to be a flavor carrier. Anyone who prefers fish with a more delicate taste and a light salt note will get their money's worth here. Those who, on the other hand, like it a bit more aromatic will be happier with the Portuguese or Breton sardines.
The Portuguese sardines by Pinhais are the largest in the country comparison and therefore only three pieces are contained per can. They are also the most rustic. So you can still find a scale here and there. However, the fish tastes wonderfully aromatic.
With the Spanish and the Portuguese, the fish is clearly in the foreground, while the oil plays a rather subordinate role. With the Spanish, it is refined, very light olive oil with very little flavor, which serves exclusively for preservation. At home, you can simply pour it out and drizzle good cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil over the fish. This enhances it and tastes many times better. The oil used in the Pinhais cans comes from the company's own olive grove in Trás-os-Montes. It is of very good quality, but a bit paler and less fruity-intense than the olive oil we appreciate so much in the Breton ones.
The Breton sardines in the country comparison are the most refined and the oil is beautifully fruity and present and is just as much in focus as the fish itself. It is a very high-quality, intensely fruity and deep golden-yellow Spanish (!) olive oil, which we poured generously over the fish and then also dipped our baguette into. A truly special taste experience! In this tasting, the Breton sardines were represented by the Sardines Saint Georges by La Belle-Iloise. One of our absolute classics.
Sardines 2016, Brittany
With the Breton sardines, we compared the "normal" sardines of the 2016 vintage from the canneries La Belle-Iloise, La Compagnie bretonne du poisson and La Quiberonnaise.
"Our" sardines are all vintage sardines in that sense, as they are always frozen fresh. And even if the year is not at the front of the can, the catch season can be easily determined by looking at the stamp on the back of the can.
The sardines from La Belle Iloise (Sardines Saint-Georges, already known from the first round) and La Quiberonnaise are really impeccable and very delicious, but you can tell that they are not quite as fine and of the same outstanding top quality as the vintage sardines. So what the canneries say is really true: as vintage sardines come from the respective catch only those that have the perfect fat content and the right size go into the can. Good to know that this is really true.
The sardines in olive oil from La compagnie bretonne du poisson, which come in a rather plain packaging, on the other hand, impressed us all deeply: they were by far the best in this category and came very close to the perfection of a vintage sardine. So we learn that you should not be blinded or deterred by the packaging :) They taste umami and somehow warm, complex, fruity-fresh and have a pleasant salt note.
Vintage comparison 2011 and 2016
Next, we compared the 2016 vintage from La Perle des Dieux and a 2016 can from Les Mouettes d'Arvor with the 2011 vintage from La Point de Penmarch’. Personally, the young vintage tasted a bit better to me, but apart from that, it was simply highly interesting how much the contents of the can changed over time. With the 2011 vintage, the fish and oil had already formed a kind of union and had come together into something new. The fish had absorbed the aromas of the oil and thereby lost some of its foreground "fishy" taste. The consistency was creamy and the fish could be easily crushed on the palate. The young vintage was much firmer and naturally also drier.
Bonus
After this full program, we had actually already had (almost) enough, but then the fever caught us – as so often. We wanted to present Maria and Jörn two more specialties, which stand out from the crowd through their special way of preparation: the sardines from Jean de Luz from the Basque Country and sardines in butter.
The Basque sardines are the largest we have. They are approx. 12 centimeters long and thus almost as big as the fresh sardines that are used for grilling. Since they do not fit in any can, they are placed in glass. Unlike the other French sardines, they are not fried before placing, but salted and dried. This gives them an incomparable aroma that reminds a bit of pickled fish. The olive oil in the glass is a deep sunflower yellow and has a very intense buttery, almost nutty aroma. My conclusion: to dip!
The sardines in barrel butter with pepper are a relatively new variety from the house of La Perle des Dieux. Although placing in butter is an old tradition that dates back to the time before olive oil began its conquest of the world. These sardines are intended to be eaten warm. You can warm them in a water bath and then eat them like that – which we did – or carefully briefly fry them on both sides in the pan. The five different pepper varieties give the recipe fine-floral-spicy notes and the warmth enhances all aromas, so naturally also those of the sardine. This is really something for connoisseurs.
Conclusion of the day:
With this colorful offer, there is something for everyone: the small Spanish sardines are made for tapas fans, the large ones from Jean de Luz are something for connoisseurs. Those who like it more elegant should stick to Breton sardines, those who like the rustic more will find their way with the Portuguese sardines. Warm it all tastes at least three times as good and whoever wants the finest product of all should stick to the vintage sardine. As for the vintage, individual preference decides. So, get to the tasting plates!
All tasted sardines at a glance:
- Small sardines in olive oil, Ramon Peña
- Sardines in olive oil, Pinhais
- Sardines Saint Georges, La Belle-Iloise
- Sardines in olive oil, La Quiberonnaise
- Sardines in olive oil, La compagnie bretonne du poisson
- Vintage sardines 2016, La Perle des Dieux
- Vintage sardines 2016 "Ville bleue", Les Mouettes d'Arvor
- Vintage sardines 2011, La Pointe de Penmarch'
- Sardines in olive oil, Jean de Luz
- Sardines in butter with pepper, La Perle des Dieux
And the article from Try Foods including a very nice video can be found here.
