New Tins on the block

King Oscar is at it again. More flavors are being tested for their bristling sardines.

I was able to give two new test products a taste test. I can't disclose too much info at the moment since the products are still hush hush. I am curious to see which one or if both will make it to market.

Both tins were good in their own way. I ate both tins alone for half the tin. I finished off the tins with light bread. I can see one tin really resonating with the older generation, and the second tin just being for every one. The 2nd tin holds a high place in the flavor category amongst similar flavors of other sardines.

  I will release more info about these two tins once I'm cleared.

           

I must admit, I have forgotten how good just a couple of little fish wrapped in a slice of bread truly is. It takes me back to my child hood. My father had this orange/reddish oblong plastic dish he would place on the table. Whenever this dish was placed on the table I knew we would be eating one of two things: egg salad or sardines. That was all this dish was ever used for. He would open up two tins and dump them in the dish, he'd bring out a loaf of light bread, and we'd dig in. I recall him spooning out the oil from the dish and spreading it on his bread before placing the sardines onto the bread. I would just put sardines on a slice of bread, roll it up and squeeze the bread, making sort of a tightly wrapped fish snack. I never understood why he would dump two cans into a single bowl for us to share instead of just eating out of our own tin, but I'm glad he did.

As soon as I opened the can, the clouds parted... Make of that what you will

1968 Vintage

I came across some nice vintage 1968 Yugoslavian sardines a while back. Naturally, I was told these were not for consumption. Where most people would put them on a shelf for display, trying them out was my first instinct. Seeing only the occasional rust spots on the can with no signs of leakage or can swelling, I knew I would have to try these.

Josip Broz Tito by Yousuf Karsh

I couldn't help but wonder if these could be from Tito's personal collection or were in some college student's pack during the protest of 1968.

Students in 1968 in Belgrade

After unwrapping the tin, I discovered that no key was included. I broke out my sardine server that also doubles as a tin key. The smell of metal from the can was very noticeable.

Rolling down the lid I expected to find dry prune-like fish, a can of fish mush, or just an aroma of decaying fish that was 47 years old.

To my surprise, a nice aroma escaped from the tin, a faint sardine and oil aroma. I was impressed with the appearance of the fish, an oil-filled, tightly packed tin of fish. It looked better than most tins I get today.

Removing the fish from the tin, I was surprised to discover how firm the fish was and how well it held its shape. On first bite, the fish possessed a good texture, salt is noticeable, and then... the taste of metal stormed my mouth as if I were eating the tin instead of the fish. The after taste was pure metal.  My tongue felt as if it had suddenly grown fur. After three pints, the taste remained in my mouth.  After 6, it was not as bad. My tongue felt fake for several hours and more pints later. I did not finish the tin. One plump fish was enough. I suffered no ill affects, except for drinking all my beer, from the sardines.

I love aged sardines. I keep several cases on hand that I'm always aging. And while these may not have been ideal, in a survival situation, the shelf life of tinned sardines is hard to beat!

Shwartz-151

SHARTZ: IN OLIVE OIL 

APPEARANCE:

NUTRITION:
Serving size per container: 2

Calories- 130
Total Fat- 10g
Cholesterol- 75mg..
Sodium- 240mg
Protein- 11g


PRODUCT OF:
Morocco


INGREDIENTS:
Sardines, Olive Oil, Salt



PRICE:

OVER ALL:
A faint oil and sardine aroma upon opening. A tightly packed tin of fish. Four very plump fish to the tin. A very meaty fish. A mild tasting fish. Patches of scales are present; not noticble. Fish was purged, traces of stomach content present. No strong taste or after. Not a spiny fish. I would eat again. 3 1/2 sardines.