A Rather Saddening Debut.

The excitement I had while deciding which tin of frenchy goodness to review could barely be contained. I eagerly chose to break into the can of the Les Mouettes d'Arvor Sardines in Butter with Garlic and Parsley. Wild I know. Since I had some tins that were not sardines I decided to accompany the snack with some spanish mussels in spicy marinade and a bottle some french white wheat beer. I can't even pronounce the name so just look at the pic. Okay? Okay.

Upon opening the can I saw some handsome looking fish caked in coagulated butter. "Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong here" I thought and tried to translate the heating instructions on the back of the box. Blah, blah, blah, pan, blah blah blah, medium heat, blah, blah, blah, 3 to 4 minutes. I've never had to heat my sardines before. This is Exciting, I thought.

But upon sitting down to what I thought would be a delightful treat I was sorely disappointed. The butter, garlic, parsley trio was just too damn much and overpowered everything. The smell permiated the room. They were difficult to eat and did not at all go with the beer I was trying to enjoy. I was spinning into the void of frustration so much that I had decided the mussels had sucked too. They were probably fine. I was despondent that my first affair with my arsenal of French fish was a bust.

I am certain that the next tin I open will be absolutely fan-flipping-tastic.

This butter, garlic freakout gets one tin.

Smiling Fish Part Deux

I figured that, in the interest of fairness, I'd give these another go. The first time I tried this brand (the YELLOW ones), I'd just spent a long day in the car, and was standing in Mr. Chris' kitchen in Le Boise, having just drained three LRP's in ten minutes.

Catching up, exchanging trinkets, eyeballing each other. Typical old friend's reunion.

I wasn't really in a Tasting mood, and I feel like I might have given these fish the short shrift.

Today it's the green ones. The Curry isn't so sweet as the others, and has a nice mild heat.



You have to break them up to get them out of the little can, and they look horrible once you do.



Grey, and with bones. There is no fish flavor, which is worrisome to me.

Pretty goddamn gross, overall. What you get for 88 cents, I guess.

The accompaniment was superb. Ninkasi Total Domination IPA, Saltines, and a chunk of pepper jack that I'm still working on.

Le Chat does not like curry.




Now, just for shits and giggles, I'd like to show how it's really done:



This was Sunday's repast. Pliny, Sopresetta, some garlicky, oily foccaccia, a two-year-old cheddar, and a Five-Tin tin.

Followed by a bottle of Underberg and a nap.

Superbe.


(EDIT: Hamachi just reminded me that when I originally reviewed the Pollastrini, they merited only four tins. I can't imagine why. They are top of the heap, price be damned. A solid Five if there ever was one.)

Staying Home Tonight, Acts I & II

My skin hurts. Sick buggers everywhere and I've been working long hours and drinking heavily-- These things are bound to take a toll.

Let's eat some fish.

ACT I

Latvian smoked sprats in vegetable oil. Pretty, pretty, little fish.

10 of them in a round can with a simple black label. I very much wanted to love these. Everything about them speaks to me.

They are not good. Funny, grainy texture. Overbearingly smoky/salty.
Probably okay if you're sitting in some funky pub in Riga, drinking Bauskas gaišais while the world collapses around you.

I had a couple of cans of Taiwan beer and some crackers and was not stoked.

Did I mention that my skin hurts?


ACT II

Still famished and a bit shaky, I dived into these Tomes.



Portuguese. High quality fillets with lemony oil. The opposite end of the spectrum from the smoky gut-bomb of a few minutes before.

Allright.