Sardine Heaven at Famous Market

I'm crazy about seafood in a can. Kippered herring, sardines, salmon, sprats, tuna, mackerel, oysters, clams, you name it. I love 'em all.

Around the various markets in Chicago, you can expect to find a few varieties of of tinned sardines. I generally stick to King Oscar, but every now and again I'll pick up another variety. Really there aren't more than a half-dozen to choose from unless you really go hunting.

Imagine my reaction while walking the aisles of Famous Market & Deli in Delray Beach, FL when I came across the canned fish aisle:



Thirty feet long and six feet high. Mixed in were some kippered herring, mackerel, tuna and salmon, but mostly you're just looking at about 40-50 varieties of sardines.




My suitcase was a little heavier on the trip home.

Best,
Michael

Famous Market Deli
6570 W Atlantic Ave
Delray Beach, FL
561-495-8590

Looks like my kind of store! I also like the King Oscar variety, but lately I've been gorging myself on the Season brand.

My grandmother used to make me sandwiches when I was a little girl with smashed sardines on black bread, with a little salt and lemon on top, maybe a few onions. It is to this day one of my favorite sandwiches. When I first moved out of my house, my roommate would start gagging as soon as she saw the can come out of the cupboard and would have to leave the house.

I knew my husband was the right guy when I found out he loved sardine sandwiches as much as I did!

Suzy

Nice! I can imagine how tempting it was.
(but why is this in Florida!?)

sazerac wrote:Nice! I can imagine how tempting it was.
(but why is this in Florida!?)

Old Jews of European descent love fish in a can, and south Florida is exactly where a good portion of these people spend their winters.

I picked up the sardine habit at a young age from my grandfather and father.

Best,
Michael

Edited to repair spelling error

eatchicago wrote:Old Jews of European descent love fish in a can

Michael,

So do just starting to get old Jews.

Every time I look at your sardine picture Austin Power's saying "oh behave" pops into my head. Odd, I know. ~shrug~

This might be a new one on you, aged sardines. The cans are turned every few months, the sardines break down a bit, mellow and the oil they are packed in seems to permeate the flesh. I have a can or two and I'll happily give you one and consider it fair exchange for the delicious Petit Pois produced Chocolate sour-cream bundt cake raffle price we won at the LTHForum holiday party



Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:I have a can or two and I'll happily give you one and consider it fair exchange for the delicious Petit Pois produced Chocolate sour-cream bundt cake raffle price we won at the LTHForum holiday party

No exchange necessary, but I'll happily take you up on your offer.

I found a page on vintage sardines on the Zingerman's website with this great quote:

In calling around to research this subject, a senior sardine specialist with four decades of field experience confided in me that, “I've eaten 30-year old sardines and they were excellent.” “When I first went to Norway in the early 60s,” he added, “I asked several of the plant managers what their favorite sardine was. And they'd say, ‘Oh, I like the 1953 from such and such a cannery.' Basically they treat them very much like wine over there.”

Cool.

Best,
Michael

My obsession with tasty ocean-dwelling creatures grows; re: the canned, vintage and fresh sardine:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... May25.html

This might or might not be the right place to ask. I went shopping at H Mart last week and was handed a can of canned mackerel and some fancy chopsticks on the way out. The chopsticks I know what to do with, but what's the best way to prepare the mackerel? My only experience with canned fish are the aforementioned sardine sammiches and tuna salad.

Octarine wrote:This might or might not be the right place to ask. I went shopping at H Mart last week and was handed a can of canned mackerel and some fancy chopsticks on the way out. The chopsticks I know what to do with, but what's the best way to prepare the mackerel? My only experience with canned fish are the aforementioned sardine sammiches and tuna salad.

Octarine,

Not knowing much about the mackerel that you have (what's it packed in? is it smoked?), I'm not sure what the absolute best use is, but I'd suggest the following tactics:

Enjoy iit over rice with some grated daikon radish.

Make mackerel salad in the same way you'd make tuna or salmon salad.

I'd bet they'd also work in some kind of fish-cake or croquette preparation.

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:

sazerac wrote:Nice! I can imagine how tempting it was.
(but why is this in Florida!?)

Old Jews of European descent love fish in a can, and south Florida is exactly where a good portion of these people spend their winters.

I picked up the sardine habit at a young age from my grandfather and father.

Best,
Michael

Edited to repair spelling error

BINGO! You beat me to this post Michael! My grandparents, when they were alive (my GF just passed last fall), lived in this area and the LOLs (little old ladys) defiatly knew their fish in a can! When we started cleaning out my Nana's pantry, we probably found 6 or 7 varieties of canned fish that may or may not have been there since '82.

Why even now I remember long lazy days with grandpa down in the canal fishing for gefilte fish.....