Fancy Sardines. . . Is That A Thing?

Supper, Tuesday July 11: fishy cheese bagel (everything bagel, smoked habanero cheddar, fancy sardines, capers); beet and rutabaga salad; cucumber, radish. and tomato salad.

Sardines are in right now. Multiple studies have shown that there is a good correlation between consumption of fish, particularly oily varieties, and better health outcomes vis a vie heart disease, longevity, stroke. . . The problem is that we have gotten way too good at fishing. Modern vessels and techniques have seriously depleted the oceans of the most sought after fish. So we have authorities telling us to eat more fish, but doing so is potentially harmful to the ocean ecosystems, plus fish is 'spensive. ( I admit that this is a relative notion. Beef is 'spensive sure, but the Surgeon General isn't telling us to slam down more Krystal burgers.) So what is a concerned citizen supposed to do? Enter the sardine.

Sardines have become a hot item because they are 1) an oily fish 2) not particularly expensive and 3) a potentially sustainable resource. There is some disagreement over #3 but I suspect that if properly managed the sardine harvest could be sustained. It may even do some good for the ecosystems. considering that we have depleted many top tier predator fish. By harvesting more sardines we might be able to help balance predator-prey ratios.

Nevertheless I have a special fondness for the humble sardine. When I was a child, my father would occasionally indulge in a tin of sardines with some saltines. When I was old enough to appreciate them, about 5 years old, he began sharing his treat with me. My mother did not partake of this repast, she did not like "fishy" fish. She would eat varieties such as flounder, pollock, and perch. We lived near the coast and my father was an avid fisherman so we did eat a lot of fish. Even though my father was responsible for scaling, dressing, and filleting the catch, my mother would carefully inspect each piece for any stray scale or bone. There was no way that she was going to eat a fish complete with scales, bones, and entrails. 

This was, I think some of the fascination I may have had with the little salty, oily treats. The only thing missing was the head. Eating all of the parts normally eschewed was enticing for me at 5. Weren't boys supposed to like gross stuff? I was stereotypical in that sense. So when I opened the tin of these "fancy" sardines and saw fillets the 5 year old looked up and said "Hey, where's the bones and guts and stuff?" He would probably also noted that capers look like rolled up boogers.

Anyhoo, the sardines were good. Yeah, its a thing.