Saturday, January 7, 2012

TRADER JOE'S- 53

TRADER JOE'S: IN HARISSA




APPEARANCE:



NUTRITION:
Calories- 220
Total Fat- 7g
Sat Fat- 2g
Cholesterol- 35mg
Sodium- 190mg
Protein-15g

PRODUCT OF:
Tunisia


INGREDIENTS:
Soy Oil, Harissa


PRICE:

OVERALL:
Pepper oil aroma upon opening. Four medium fish to the tin. A meaty fish; a very subtle heat is present, almost unnoticeable. No strong taste or after. The sauce is a tad on the watery side, and the consistency and taste. Not a spiny fish. I would eat again. "With hot sauce or pepper" 3 Sardines.











TRADER JOE'S: IN SPRING WATER





APPEARANCE:
NUTRITION:
Calories- 130
Fat. Cal- 70
Total Fat- 7g
Sat Fat- 1.5g
Cholesterol- 90mg
Sodium- 200mg
Protein-17g

PRODUCT OF:
Canda


INGREDIENTS:
Sardines, Spring Water


PRICE:

OVERALL:
A delightful, faint sardine aroma upon opening. Four fish to the tin. A plain tasting fish, spines are noticeable; no strong taste or after. A soft textured fish. I would eat again. "not alone."
3 1/2 sardines.









TRADER JOE'S: LIGHTLY SMOKED SARDINES IN OLIVE OIL



APPEARANCE:


NUTRITION:
Calories- 120
Fat. Cal- 70
Total Fat- 7g
Sat Fat- 1.5g
Cholesterol- 30mg
Sodium- 130mg
Protein-13g

PRODUCT OF:
Portugal

INGREDIENTS:
Sardines, Olive Oil, Salt, Natural Smoke Flavor

PRICE:

OVERALL:
Three large fish to the tin, nice aroma upon popping. In the Portuguese style, all possessed their scales. Packed full of roe. A mild-tasting fish, the texture is a tad on the chewy side. The crap line is still inside the fish. An ok tin, would not eat again. 1 1/2 Sardines



TRADER JOE'S: SKINLESS & BONELESS SARDINES IN OLIVE OIL



APPEARANCE:


NUTRITION:
Calories- 120
Fat Cal- 60
Total Fat- 7g
Sat fat- 1.5g
Cholesterol- 10mg
Sodium- 160mg
Protein- 15g

PRODUCT OF:
Morocco

INGREDIENTS:
Sardines, Olive Oil, Salt

PRICE:

OVERALL:
Four loosely packed fish to the tin, no really noticeable aroma upon opening. A tad dry, not as clean tasting of tin as I had expected. A little oil after taste. Definitely needs to be used in a dish or the sort. (But that's not how I rate them, only on their own) Would eat again, just not alone. 3 Sardines

22 comments:

  1. well - I wouldn't have believed this website existed but I got the information I was looking for!

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  2. very informative blog... got here from someone at chowhound linking..

    "Crap line still inside the fish." .. what do you do with that? cook with it or remove it before/after cooking? thnx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can remove it. The bitter taste it gives the sardine, is the give away. Many people just eat it.

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  3. I have recently discovered sardines and instantly became addicted. That's not to say I am all that crazy about the taste (however I do enjoy them). I'd describe my situation as more of a *craving.* Maybe I am sorely lacking in sardine vitamins and my body KNOWS it.

    So anyway, I have been experimenting around for several months and I gotta say that the hands-down winner is TRADER JOE'S: SKINLESS & BONELESS SARDINES IN OLIVE OIL. I eat them for lunch at my desk right out of the can. My coworkers are horrified. Sardines go together very nicely with oranges, btw.

    I am amazed and thrilled that this blog exists. Thanks so much for a font of useful information! I will be visiting often. Well done.

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    Replies
    1. That's great, finding a brand to eat on a regular basis is always a good thing. Sardines and Oranges, I've never tried that.
      Thank you.

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    2. Sardines and Oranges: Short Stories from North Africa : Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia. Front Cover. Peter Clark. Banipal Books, 2005

      "I've never tried that" or read it. Ha Ha!

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    3. They both sound interesting!

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    4. Mash your sardines with a little chopped onion, a spoonful of mayo, maybe a little chopped parsley and spread on baguette with thin-sliced tomato...fabulous!

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  4. You are right about the lightly smoked in olive oil. The first Trader Joes product I haven't liked. I will try the skinless, boneless though.

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  5. I haven't tried the second one, but the smoked sardines (pink can) are the best sardines I've had yet. Granted, I am fairly newly introduced to this canned fish, but my wife and I couldn't believe how tasty they were all by themselves. Now we hesitate to have them any other way. Every time I go, I get at least four cans of the smoked sardines, and four green cans of the smoked herring.

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  6. Thank you for the info! I find the lightly smoked in olive oil from Trader Joes to be one of the best I have ever tasted especially for the price. Giving it one and a half stars is a surprise. Maybe you should revisit soon! Thank you again.

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  7. Does anyone else worry about soy oil being GMO? I always skip the soy oil sardines for olive oil. Also, the lightly smoked with olive oil from Trader Joes are one of the best I have tasted especially for the price. Maybe you can revisit soon? Thank you for the info. Great site!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Next time I'm at a Trader Joe's I may pick up a tin for a revisit.

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    2. Next time I'm at a Trader Joe's I may pick up a tin for a revisit.

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  8. Seems the burgundy tin is packed for TJ by Bela. Similar enough quality too. Look at the can stamps.

    Thanks for the blog & letting all us sardine lovers comment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. good eye there, Lewis. Majority of tions are canned at same canneries. Keep popping those tins!

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  9. Maybe I just got lucky, but I picked up a few tins of the Trader Joes's lightly smoked sardines in olive oil, and loved them. I had a can of these at the same time as a can of Gallego in olive oil, and the quality and flavor was very similar - for the price, I'll stick with Trader Joe's.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I may need to do a revisit, perhaps I just got a off tin. Great to hear that you enjoy them! Keep popping those tins!

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  10. Let me add my voice to the chorus asking for a recount on the Trader Joe's lightly smoked. Above average texture and flavor, at a reasonable price.
    I'm also a fan of their Harissa sardines. Granted, the sauce itself is exceedingly mild, but it allows the true taste of the fish to come through. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  11. Just picked up a tin of Trader Joe's lightly smoked. Contents did not reflect what you had. Smaller fish, about 5-7 per tin. Meaty, a little dry, and slight smoked flavor. Had with pita bread and tomato basil soup. Top notch. Until I can get some Riga gold again these will be my to-go tin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's great to hear! I may need to do a revisit. Keep popping those tins!

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