Sardine is the type that you either love or hate, and I just happen to love the taste of it. However, I haven't been able to find any great grilled sardines in the US, and it has been a challenge to find good sardines in a can also. So, I have been trying to find the best that is available in the US and here are a few of some I have tried:
Cole's Sardines Smoked Portuguese Sardines in Olive Oil, Portugal
The Good: The smokiness is about right, not overly strong, not so weak to distinguish. It adds complexity to the taste of sardine.
The Bad: Falls apart quite easily. Makes you curious whether fish was fresh during canary process.
Rating: 3
Morgada - Sardines Portugaises a la Tomate, Portugal, $4.50
The Good: Overall taste of the tomato sauce is quite good. Sardines are average.
The Bad: Sardines in tomato sauce just not my favorite, quite pricey.
Rating: 2
Matiz Gallego, Spain, $2.95
The Good: The size of sardines come just right! Chunky and tasty, with firm texture yet not too rough, without strong fishly smell. The bone is chewable and crunchy.
The Bad: Just couldn't get enough in one can.
My thoughts: Serve with toast.
Rating: 5
As do Mar Sardine (all'olio di Oliva), Portugal, $2.95
The Good: Taste is decent without strong fishly smell. Texture is not firm enough but overall is not bad.
The Bad: Salty.
My thoughts: Serve with food, say salad...
Rating: 4
Angelo Parodi Sardine (all'olio di Oliva), Portugal, $2.95
The Good: Fair. Taste - Okay. Nothing stands out exceptionally.
The Bad: Texture is slightly soft with slightly strong fishly flavor.
Rating: 2
Ligo (Tomato Sauce), The Phillipines, $0.XX
The Good: Price.
The Bad: Fishes are small and lack of the sweetness. Texture is soft and slightly rough.
Rating: 1
Bela-Olhao (Olive Oil), Portugal, $2.XX
The Good: Fair. Imported from Portugal.
The Bad: Fishes are small with slightly strong fishly taste.
Rating: 1
King Oscar (Two Layer, Olive Oil), Norway, $2.65
The Good: Fair. Neatly packaged. No fishly taste.
The Bad: Fishes are significantly small.
Rating: 2
Crown Prince (Two Layer, Olive Oil), Scotland, $2.65
The Good: Fair. No fishly taste. Similar to King Oscar Brand.
The Bad: Fishes are significantly small. No chewable bones.
Rating: 2
Sardine Pollastrini di Anzio, Italy, $4.95
Piccanti all'Olio d'Oliva Specialita della Casa
The Good: Although size of the sardines is relatively small, they have so much flavor in them, especially a kick of spiciness. Texture is firm, and olive oil is nicely "aged" in the oil.
The Bad: Not enough.
My thoughts: It is one of the best in the market most definitely, but it can't be consumed all by itself because of the saltiness.
Rating: 5
Natural Sea Brisling Sardines in Soybean Oil, Poland, $2.95
The Good: Flavorful.
The Bad: Texture is sort of mushy. Size is rather small. Bones are not noticeable.
Rating: 3
(Not able to find in the US)
Conservas Portugal Norte, Portugal
Porthos - Sardines A L'huile D'Olive
My thoughts: Served with salad.
Rating: 5
Porthos - Sardines A L'huile D'Olive Piquantes
My thoughts: Served with toasted bread, food, and more...
Rating: 5
Porthos - Sardines a la sauce tomate
The Good: Tomato sauce is not made of tomato paste, instead it is tomato oil. Fish is decent, size is slightly smaller as compared to others, without strong fishly smell.
The Bad: Texture is slightly rough. Sardines & tomato sauce just not sophisticated enough.
My thoughts: hmmm.... spaghetti?
Rating: 3
Bon Appetit - Sardines Portugaises a l'huile d'olive, Portugal
The Good: Fair, nothing exceptionally stands out.
The Bad: Salty and relatively smaller than others, fairly strong fishly smell.
Rating: 2
Kampell - Sardinal Portuguese, Portugal
The Good: Taste is unexpectedly fine without strong fishly scent.
The Bad: Not spicy enough, and the size of sardines is relatively small.
Rating: 4
Maruzzella - Sardine (All'olio di Oliva), Italy
The Good: Overall quality is superb. The size of sardines is in the larger size; the taste is well preserved; and they are not very salty.
The Bad: Bones are not crunchy enough to be noticeable.
My thoughts: It is a versatile product to be used for almost everything.
Rating: 4
Nostromo - Sardine All'olio di Oliva, Italy
The Good: Chunky.
The Bad: Not enough flavor, and texture is rough.
Rating: 2
Delicius - Sardine All'olio di Oliva, Italy
The Good: The size of sardines is good. Bones are adequately crunchy. It's lightly seasoned so additional seasoning can be added to it.
The Bad: Texture and taste tend to be on the mushy and fishy side.
My thoughts: It is versatile and I think it can be made as a Pâté .
Rating: 4
Fauchon Rillettes de Sardine, France
The Good: This is not a regular sardine in a can, but pâté in a jar. It has a very enjoyable taste, although it is quite different from what I have reviewed so far.
The Bad: Addictive.
Rating: 5
Minerva Sardines Piquantes Portugaises A L'Huile Vegetale, Portugal
Rating: 3
Season Skinless and Boneless Imported Sardines in Pure Olive Oil, Morocco
The Good: Excellent for making pâté and breadspread. Olive oil complimenting the sardines is thick and tasteful.
The Bad: Firm texture that makes them hard to chew. Sardine itself is less impressive than the olive oil.
Rating: 4
To Be Continue...
Monday, November 2, 2009
Chocolate Reviews
It's a log of all the chocolates I have tried... and I am planning to share my 2 cents on different chocolates:
Cafe~Tasse, Belgium
Noir - The Earl Grey
Rating: 9
Confiserie Heilemann, Germany
Edelbitter-Schokolade 77% Cocoa
Rating: 9
Michel Cluizel, France
Noir Infini 99%
Rating: 9
Recchiuti, San Francisco, CA, United States
Force Noir
Rating: 9
Amedei, Italy
Napolitains - Cioccolato Fondente Extra 75%
Rating: 8.5
Domori, Italy
Tavolette - Chuao Hacienda San Jose
Rating: 8
Baratti & Milano, Torino, Italia
Napolitains - Cioccolato Finissimo al Latte
Rating: 8
Vivani, Germany
70% Cacao Edel Bitter (Ecuador)
Rating: 7.5
Maglio, Italia
Africa Cacao 75%
Rating: 7.5
Republica Del Cacao, United States
Los Rios 75% Cacao
Rating: 7.5
Santo Domingo Cacao 70%
Rating: 6.5
Les Freres Blanc, France
Chocolat noir 72% de cacao
Rating: 7.5
Hachez, Deutschland
Cocoa D'Arriba Mango Chili 77% cacao
Rating: 7.5
Cote d'Or, Belgium
Noir 70% Cocoa
Rating: 7.5
Le Belge, Napa, California, United States
Cacao Noir 72% Artisan Dark Belgian Chocolate With Roasted Cacao Nibs
Rating: 7.5
Valrhona, France
Guanaja - Chocolat Noir 70%
Rating: 7.5
Agnes B Delices 70% Noir
Rating: 7.5
Perlege, Belgium
Noir
Rating: 7.5
The Tea Room, American Canyon, California, United States
72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Infused with Yerba Mate Tea & Cacao Nibs
Rating: 7
Green & Black's, England
Dark 85%
Rating: 7
Chocovic, Spain
Guaranda 71% Cocoa
Rating: 7
Feodora Chocolade, Bremen, Germany
Grand 'Or 75% Cocoa
Rating: 7
Godiva, Belgium
Overall Rating: 7
Marks & Spencer, England
Dark Chocolate with Peruvian Cocoa 72% Cocoa Solids
Rating: 7
The Tea Room, American Canyon, CA, United States
Dark Chocolate Infused with Yerba Mate Tea and Cacao Nibs
Rating: 6.5
Cuorenero, Bologna, Italy
Kiwi a Pezzi - Puro Cioccolato Fondente Extra
Rating: 6.5
Toblerone, Switzerland
Milk Chocolate With Honey and Almond Nougat
Rating: 6.5
Isis Luxury, Belgium
Belgian Extra Dark Chocolate - 85% Cocoa
Rating: 6.5
Meiji, Japan
Cacao 99%
Rating: 6
Stainer, Italy
Tavoletta Di Puro Cioccolator Fondente - Cacao 100%
Rating: 5.5
Hersey's, United States
Cocoa Reserve 65%
Rating: 5
Scharffen Berger, Berkeley, CA, United States
70% Cacao Bittersweet
Rating: 4
82% Cacao Extra Dark
Rating: 6
See's Candy, United States
Overall Rating: 3
Cafe~Tasse, Belgium
Noir - The Earl Grey
Rating: 9
Confiserie Heilemann, Germany
Edelbitter-Schokolade 77% Cocoa
Rating: 9
Michel Cluizel, France
Noir Infini 99%
Rating: 9
Recchiuti, San Francisco, CA, United States
Force Noir
Rating: 9
Amedei, Italy
Napolitains - Cioccolato Fondente Extra 75%
Rating: 8.5
Domori, Italy
Tavolette - Chuao Hacienda San Jose
Rating: 8
Baratti & Milano, Torino, Italia
Napolitains - Cioccolato Finissimo al Latte
Rating: 8
Vivani, Germany
70% Cacao Edel Bitter (Ecuador)
Rating: 7.5
Maglio, Italia
Africa Cacao 75%
Rating: 7.5
Republica Del Cacao, United States
Los Rios 75% Cacao
Rating: 7.5
Santo Domingo Cacao 70%
Rating: 6.5
Les Freres Blanc, France
Chocolat noir 72% de cacao
Rating: 7.5
Hachez, Deutschland
Cocoa D'Arriba Mango Chili 77% cacao
Rating: 7.5
Cote d'Or, Belgium
Noir 70% Cocoa
Rating: 7.5
Le Belge, Napa, California, United States
Cacao Noir 72% Artisan Dark Belgian Chocolate With Roasted Cacao Nibs
Rating: 7.5
Valrhona, France
Guanaja - Chocolat Noir 70%
Rating: 7.5
Agnes B Delices 70% Noir
Rating: 7.5
Perlege, Belgium
Noir
Rating: 7.5
The Tea Room, American Canyon, California, United States
72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Infused with Yerba Mate Tea & Cacao Nibs
Rating: 7
Green & Black's, England
Dark 85%
Rating: 7
Chocovic, Spain
Guaranda 71% Cocoa
Rating: 7
Feodora Chocolade, Bremen, Germany
Grand 'Or 75% Cocoa
Rating: 7
Godiva, Belgium
Overall Rating: 7
Marks & Spencer, England
Dark Chocolate with Peruvian Cocoa 72% Cocoa Solids
Rating: 7
The Tea Room, American Canyon, CA, United States
Dark Chocolate Infused with Yerba Mate Tea and Cacao Nibs
Rating: 6.5
Cuorenero, Bologna, Italy
Kiwi a Pezzi - Puro Cioccolato Fondente Extra
Rating: 6.5
Toblerone, Switzerland
Milk Chocolate With Honey and Almond Nougat
Rating: 6.5
Isis Luxury, Belgium
Belgian Extra Dark Chocolate - 85% Cocoa
Rating: 6.5
Meiji, Japan
Cacao 99%
Rating: 6
Stainer, Italy
Tavoletta Di Puro Cioccolator Fondente - Cacao 100%
Rating: 5.5
Hersey's, United States
Cocoa Reserve 65%
Rating: 5
Scharffen Berger, Berkeley, CA, United States
70% Cacao Bittersweet
Rating: 4
82% Cacao Extra Dark
Rating: 6
See's Candy, United States
Overall Rating: 3
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