Sardinillas – Small, but the measure of all things
There are things in the world of fine food that defy explanation – that you simply have to try to understand why connoisseurs rave about them. Sardinillas are undoubtedly among them.
The name is not a separate fish species, but simply a matter of size. Sardinillas are nothing more than small European sardines (*Sardina pilchardus*) – the same species that also ends up in the can as a larger fish.
Since European legislation has no separate term, the can usually simply says "Sardine". Those who know what lies behind it read this label with completely different eyes.
Why so small – and why so good?
Sardinillas owe their character to the rhythm of nature. The fishing season begins early, often as early as April, when the fish are still in their most delicate form. As the months go by, they grow – but those who get to them early catch the finest. Their texture is silky, their aroma delicate, their fat content still restrained and elegant. That is what lovers appreciate so much about them: not the power of the large sardine, but this almost shy finesse.
Important to know: Sardinillas are not "sardine babies". The European Union mandates a minimum size of 11 centimeters – this guarantees that every fish has reproduced at least once before it is caught.
Origin and craftsmanship make the difference
Not to be confused with sprats, herrings, or Pacific sardines: The true European sardine lives in the waters off Spain, Portugal, France, and England. But the heart of the Sardinillas world beats in Galicia, in the far northwest of Spain.
Many factors come together there that distinguish the best canned goods: unspoiled, rugged nature, special weather conditions, and varying salinity levels in the sea.
The best artisanal producers – houses such as Real Conservera Española, La Brújula, Ramon Peña, and Mariscadora – are supplied by small boats that set out every day. Only freshly caught fish goes into the can, never frozen. This difference, however insignificant it may sound, is the real reason why a good Sardinilla puts everything else in the shade.
