# Sardines! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810 "2019-01-15T18:37:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/21 "2019-01-16T00:27:24Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > This is the famous sardine shop in Lisbon… That place is always SO crowded. The people are packed in there like…well, let’s just say it’s crowded. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/22 "2019-01-16T01:09:12Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > There’s only one way to properly eat a sardine: you spread a layer of Philadelphia Cream Cheese on a Ritz cracker. Then you put a sardine on top of that. Then you put a caper into the sardine’s eye socket. Then you sprinkle a few drops of Texas Pete hot sauce on top of that and you eat it in one bite. Then you eat a dozen more—two dozen if you haven’t eaten for a couple hours. For the record, you lost me at “socket”. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/23 "2019-01-16T02:31:46Z")
I’m a huge fan of most canned fish and sardines in particular. The mustard packed ones are pretty good but for the most part I just eat the oil packed ones. ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/24 "2019-01-16T02:31:49Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > OP, if you’re in an expansive mood WRT your diet, and you like sardines, I suspect you will like the Queen of canned seafood…the smoked oyster… Thanks! I do enjoy oysters, but I’ve never tried them from a can. I’ll pick some up! ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/25 "2019-01-16T02:33:33Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Seriously…are there guts and bones in sardines? Cause while people here are raving over their taste, I just can’t bring myself to try them if there’s either of those still included with the fish. Sardines are typically gutted, but the bones are still there. I don’t notice them though. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/26 "2019-01-16T03:24:09Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is about food and the enjoyment thereof, let’s move it to Cafe Society (from MPSIMS). ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/27 "2019-01-16T03:33:43Z")
Here’s a thread I started a couple of months ago: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=856338](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=856338) That might have some useful info. . ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/28 "2019-01-16T04:18:44Z")
Sardines are gutted. Some sardines are filleted; if so, they are usually also skinless. I like skinned and deboned sardines in olive oil. I happily eat them straight, and also love to make up a sardine salad similar to tuna salad. ETA: if they are not filleted, it’s not that big a deal. The process of rendering them fit for consumption (smoking or cooking) turns the bones into soft stuff that is barely noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/29 "2019-01-16T05:29:18Z")
Apparently there are two main methods for preparation: The Norwegian method is to hold the fish, alive, until their guts are empty. The Mediterranean method is to behead and gut them. According to this site, at least: [https://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/sf\_sardcanz.html](https://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/sf_sardcanz.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/30 "2019-01-16T07:51:36Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > What’s wrong with you people!?! 😕 > > There’s only one way to properly eat a sardine: you spread a layer of Philadelphia Cream Cheese on a Ritz cracker. Then you put a sardine on top of that. Then you put a caper into the sardine’s eye socket. Then you sprinkle a few drops of Texas Pete hot sauce on top of that and you eat it in one bite. Then you eat a dozen more—two dozen if you haven’t eaten for a couple hours. > > This should be common sense. Do I have to change your diapers, too? Fer cryin’ out loud … No, no, no you’re mistaken. The only way to enjoy them is to watch my cats eat them. Every birthday they get a can. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/31 "2019-01-16T08:16:06Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > No, no, no you’re mistaken. The only way to enjoy them is to watch my cats eat them. Every birthday they get a can. I think you’re adding an unnecessary step into the equation, but OK, we can roll with it … Feed your _cat_ a can of sardines, then put the cat on top of a Ritz cracker along with Philadelphia Cream Cheese, put a caper into its eye socket … and, well, you know the rest … ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/32 "2019-01-16T08:27:32Z")
I think I’ve posted here before about my love of bacon and sardine sandwiches. I think I invented it. Sardines, a layer of crisp bacon, and brown mustard. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/33 "2019-01-16T09:09:44Z")
Can you ever get fresh sardines? Because nothing says summer to me more than being in the garden, a glass of chilled white wine and fresh grilled sardines, sprinkled with sea salt with a squeeze of lemon eaten with my fingers. YUM. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/34 "2019-01-16T09:28:03Z")
Watch out for expiration dates. I recently had an expired can of them that looked, smelled and tasted ok, but then… really bad abdominal cramps. It lasted for _weeks,_ and finally went away after taking lots of probiotics. ---
**Author:** ![PlumBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/35 "2019-01-16T16:52:53Z")
Sardines, tomato sauce, grated parmesan & pasta. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/36 "2019-01-16T17:35:42Z")
Toasted bagel, cream cheese, tinned fishies, drizzled with honey mustard. Chase with pickled cocktail onions as a palate cleanser. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/37 "2019-01-16T19:28:21Z")
I once ate a sardine and peanut butter sandwich. I do not recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/38 "2019-01-16T21:16:40Z")
My sardine habit has gotten a bit expensive. I graduated from the King Oscar types to sardines from Spain/Portugal bought from Amazon (after reading an article that the best sardines are from there). So now my favs are Matiz Espana for $17 for 5 tins. And they are worth every penny! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/39 "2019-01-16T21:57:38Z")
I used to go to a little Basque bar in Northern Nevada, and the guy would serve this weird salami and cheese, sardines and crackers. Good eatin’, especially about 2 am after a good drunk. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810/40 "2019-01-17T18:24:38Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I like the little ones, especially the really teeny ones that are [cross-packed](http://paleoheretic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/KingOscarCrossPack1.jpg). I really don’t care for the bigger ones that are only like 4 in a can. 100% with you there. I just can’t seem to find any locally. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sardines/827810.md?page=3)