Reims, France: Riddling and Affinage for Sardines

Reims, France: Riddling and Affinage for Sardines

Reims, north of Paris, is home to the only wine that can legally be called Champagne. Dom Pérignon, the Benedictine monk some believe “invented” Champagne, worshipped and made wine here. Some centuries later, the local widow Cliquot developed a rack for riddling, the process of turning Champagne bottles during the aging process to collect sediment for removal during disgorgement.



During a press trip to the area, I enjoyed a meal at Restaurant L’Epicerie au Bon Manger in Reims [http://www.aubonmanger.fr]. This was a classic of Gallic simplicity and deliciousness – wine, cheese, bread and charcuterie -- superbly crafted ingredients, unpretentiously presented, enjoyed in an atmosphere of wine-fueled bonhomie.



What amazed most though, and what most convinced me that the French are, at least when it comes to food, awesome beyond belief, were the vintage sardines offered on a shelf by the door.



Marked 2010 and 2011, these canned sardines are intended to be held, like a good wine, for years. According to Bon Manger co-owner Fabrice Parisot, they too should be riddled, or flipped regularly, to “confit” the fish in the oil in which they’re traditionally packed.

“You can hold these fish for maybe six to twelve years, turning them over every six months or so,” Parisot told us, “I usually eat them after six years.”

After our lunch at L’Epicerie au Bon Manger, I started looking more closely at sardine cans. In Dijon, at L’Epicerie et Cie Restaurant [http://www.lepicerie-dijon.fr/], I spotted more sardines.



These sardines, however, had labels indicating that they’d gone through “affinage” of three months.



“Affinage” is a term I’d previously heard applied only to the process of holding and bringing cheese to maturity after it’s been made and before it goes to market.

That the French should apply two classic processes of riddling and affinage to tinned sardines, making the mass-produced fishies more of a crafted product through loving attention to detail, is so…French.

We ate some excellent canned sardines in France and brought home two tins that we intend to riddle throughout a six-year period. It will be interesting to see what differences can be detected between 2010 and 2011 vintages. Sacre bleu, we’re becoming French! C’est redoutable!

The label on the last can sums up French food succintly, "Le Passion de la Tradition". There's a correct way to do something, so that's just how ya do it

I highly recommend The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It, by Tilar J. Mazzeo

A wonderful read and a fascinating story.

Thanks for a great post about sardines. I had never even noticed such a thing on sardine cans, but now I'll be on the look-out for it.

I wonder if, on your press tour, you've run across the French radio program "On va déguster" with François-Régis Gaudry on FranceInter? He's a well-known name -- I saw him mentioned just recently during the controversy about featuring only male chefs in an issue of L'Expressand I really enjoy his show, which introduces me to new names and places every week. I mention him in regard to sardines in particular, he did a show this summer about them and featured Sonia Ezgulian and her book of sardine recipes (she has a recipe blog, in French). Even if you don't read French, the pictures offer a surprising look at the possibilities of sardines.

I strongly suspect that many Millennials have never tasted a tinned sardine, just as many have never had a calves liver in any form other than pate. Not bemoaning that fact (if it is, indeed, a fact), just recognizing that tinned sardines are maybe not as commonly consumed as they used to be. They do, however, have flavor and texture characteristics that I sometimes prefer to the fresh variety (fresh is probably best, but there are times I like the oily, slippery, fishy-tasting tinned creatures -- just as there are times that I long, inexplicably, for the foamy and hard scrambled eggs they serve on airplanes).

My dad used to make sardine sandwiches when I was a kid (mashed fish, mayo, some pickles) and I liked them quite a lot, even though any riddling or affinage they may have been subjected to was entirely accidental.

David Hammond wrote:My dad used to make sardine sandwiches when I was a kid (mashed fish, mayo, some pickles) and I liked them quite a lot, even though any riddling or affinage they may have been subjected to was entirely accidental.

+1, my Pop's presentation was simply on toast w/some sliced tomato. I did like them! Just last week, I picked up some sandwiches from Nhu Lan and one ordered was the sardine banh mi. I split it with my Pop, we both loved it and I'm pretty sure some warm/fuzzies from our sardine sandwiches years ago were present in my Pop's heart as they were mine.

I've been thinking about sardines too. I buy tins of sardines once in a while and think I should do so more often; they're very good for you, except for the cholesterol content: very high in omega-3s, rate very high on the anti-inflammatory end of the scale (according to nutritiondata.com).

I have been meaning to post a request for ideas for more things to do with sardines, e.g., the ones that come packed in flavored oils and sauces (mustard, tomato).

Last year when my brother was in Afghanistan, I sent him tins of sardines (he asked for them) in care packages, along with tins of smoked oysters, boxes of crackers, and other foodstuffs he could enjoy in his quarters (and thereby avoid the carbo loading experience of eating in the mess hall).

I remembered reading an article about the recent closing of the last sardine cannery in the US, and searched and found it: In Maine, Last Sardine Cannery in the U.S. Is Clattering Out.

I was thinking yesterday that tinned sardines would make good food for camping trips, and by the same token, good food for those in the military. I wonder if my dad picked up a liking for sardines in WWII. Possible.

Thanks, Katie, for posting the link to the article. It doesn't surprise me that Maine sardines hit a high point in the post-war years: servicemen may have taken a liking to them while overseas, and when they came home, that's what they wanted to eat.

I was, however, a little surprised by the line:

"Workers here do not express much interest in eating the catch. Ernie Beach, 55, who operates one of the plant’s large pressure-cooker machines, which sterilize the sardines, said that few workers took advantage of company policy allowing them two free cans a day; he takes one home for his cat.

It's a bad sign when you can't give the stuff away though maybe, after processing fish all day, the workers can't face more fish when they go home.

David Hammond wrote:maybe, after processing fish all day, the workers can't face more fish when they go home.

Shoot--I feel this way when I spend any significant time cooking--by eating time, I rarely have any appetite. Add the distinct aroma and monotony of processing fish and I'm actually surprised they could even handle feeding it to the cat.

I have good memories of snacking on tinned sardines at cocktail time (along with the 50's fave, smoked oysters) with my dad. He was a huge fan

Was in Caputo's this morning doing the usual pre-Thanksgiving antipasti run. Caputo's has a wide sardine selection ...



...but though tins bear "eat by" dates, none carried a vintage. Not a surprise, of course. This is Elmwood Park, not Lyon, bien sur.

This discussion has touched on the idea that exposure to tinned sardines during military service may have sparked a nostalgic tenderness toward the little fishies among returning WWII veterans. I spotted this army meat at Caputo's, too, and I suspect it may appeal to those (particularly Polish army vets) who enjoyed similar potted pork products while in the service. The pork patties and loaves (notice, some get a rank, "officer's" or "sergeant's") were shelved right next to Sprats, another battle-ready tinned fish product.

Hammond,

I ate a lot of WWII "C" rations in '64, during basic, and none of them had sardines. I suspect that sardines were everywhere in Europe when the troops landed. But I also suspect that N. Americans used to eat a lot more sardines during that era, in any case. My Italian relatives make a pasta dish with sardines--a different sort of tuna fish and noodles for Catholic Fridays!

And, while Brisling sardines are much enjoyed, my personal favorite is Riga Sprats. Oh yum!

Nice topic, BTW.

Geo