Happy August from your friends at Oil Packed! We’ve reached 50 subscribers here on Substack and 200 followers on Instagram, and we just wanted to say: thanks for the love. Stay tuned for more reviews on some riveting tins, and don’t forget to share your favorite fishy blog with your friends!
Pollastrini Di Anzio Sardines in Olive Oil
Price: $6.50
Weight: 100g
Texture: Firm
Taste: Salty / Savory
Pair with: Simple condiments and crackers
I usually keep two types of tins in my can cabinet: everyday lunch tins, and special occasion tins. Everyday lunch tins are easily sourced from the grocery store, without frills, and usually cost less than $4. They’re pretty average and reliable. Special occasion tins tend to be from specialty stores, with the aforementioned frills and are a bit more pricy. This tin is of the latter category.
Pollastrini Di Anzio Sardines in Olive Oil is a tin for the sardine purist. There are about six fish per tin packed in a high-quality olive oil. These sardines don’t have a particularly fishy smell to them and are skin/tails-on and bone-in. They’re pretty firm compared to most everyday canned sardines. The olive oil is smooth and clean and enhances the lightly salted flavor of the fish. Going by appearance, these fish are unassuming. Upon tasting, you’ll find that this is a very well-made tin.
The flavor in these sardines is so clean that you won’t want to overwhelm it with too complex of a vehicle or condiment. Eat these with a nice water cracker or by themselves. Pair them with a mild cheese like mozzarella or a light creamy sauce like crema fresca. These fish are also delicious alongside vegetables like snap peas, spring onions, and cucumbers. Keep it simple with these sardines!
This is a nice special occasion tin to bring out for guests. It’s more expensive than a lot of sardine tins you can snag at the grocery store, but certainly worth a try. Alternatively, if you’re not a big fan of the fishiness of most canned sardines, these fish could be a good way to ease into the sardine sphere. You can find Pollastrini Di Anzio Sardines on most online retailers or at your local specialty food store.
Rating: ★★★★
photos by Aaron Barton