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$10 vs. $15 Sardines (No. 1 Sardines in the World)

$10 vs. $15 Sardines (No. 1 Sardines in the World)

Is there a difference between product lines by the same producer? I’m tasting two sardines made by Real Conservera Espanola in a side by side blind taste test. @realconservera has over 100 years of history canning fish in Galicia. I got these online from @rainbowtomatoesgarden, available as a side by side set or individually.

Real Conservera Espanola Sardines in Olive Oil ($15) 🐟 This is the flagship product line of the producer. Each sardine is carefully hand selected and packed into tins with neutral olive oil. Expect mild, creamy, and tender sardines. These are the #1 sardines according to WorldBestFish, though not my personal favorite.

Real Conservera Espanola Seleccion 1920 Sardines in Olive Oil ($10) 🐟 1920 is the second tier line from the same producer, with less stringent standards for size and quality. As @rainbowtomatoesgarden puts it: “The 1920s seem to trade labor cost for less precision... Open ten cans of each and place the contents on twenty plates, and you’ll see more variation in any 1920 product than you see in any Real non-1920 version.”

My experience was identical between the two tins from RCE, both contained 4 sardines with soft texture and clean flavor. I disappointingly ran into scales in both tins. I have only had these large sardines from RCE a few times, so I can’t speak to consistency.

Chicken of the Sea Sardines in Water ($1) 🐟 I got these from my local grocery store as a point of reference for the lowest possible price. For those insisting the cheapest sardines at the grocery store are the same as artisanal products, that is simply not the truth. I personally do not enjoy these and don’t recommend them to others.

Taiwanese Lemonade 🍋🧊 Honey Lemon Aiyu The

Taiwanese Lemonade 🍋🧊 Honey Lemon Aiyu

The key to this version of lemonade are aiyu seeds. These come from a native Taiwanese creeping fig that is naturally high in pectin. Scrub them together in water and watch a wobbly jelly form before your eyes. They’re rather hard to find in the US so I recently learned @yunhaishop carries them online.

https://daywithmei.com/honey-lemon-aiyu-jelly/

Trader Joe’s Boneless Grilled Sardines in Olive

Trader Joe’s Boneless Grilled Sardines in Olive Oil 🎣 Tinned Fish Talk

This much requested review is a new Trader Joe’s product that started distribution last month. This is a product of Tunisia. Most boneless sardines are also skinless, and much less are grilled, making this an interesting product among the pilchard sardine category.

Taste 🎣 These pilchards didn’t have much smoke or grill flavor, with my barometer for each being TJs own sardines with smoke flavor and Gueyu Mar, the king of grilled sardines. They’re not excessively fishy but definitely not what I’d consider buttery mild either, somewhere in the middle.

Texture 🎣 The sardines are butterflied, with the bones removed but skin left intact. To be transaprent, I personally do not prefer the drier texture of boneless sardines. That being said, these are a marked improvement compared to boneless sardines in water, though mealier than whole pilchard sardines in olive oil.

Price 🎣 A 110g tin is $1.99 available in Trader Joe’s, same as their bone-in sardine tin and more inexpensive than Crown Prince, King Oscar, and their own boneless skinless sardines in olive oil.

Tinned Fish Talk 🎣 @get.lata June Discovery Bo

Tinned Fish Talk 🎣 @get.lata June Discovery Box

Use code DAYWITHMEI for 10% off 🐟 Lata’s monthly discovery box is $49.99 for 4 curated tins each month (+1 bonus tin this month) 📦 The code also works on individual tins if you want to mix and match.

🔥 Fangst Flash Grilled Faroe Islands Salmon
🍄 Seed to Surf Mushroom Snow Crab
🦑 La Narval Stuffed Squids In Ink
🧈 José Gourmet Pickled Tuna Pate
🐟 Açor Tuna in Olive Oil

All opinions are my own. I may be eligible for commission if you use the code. It doesn’t cost any extra to you (you get a discount!)

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