On the evening of March 31, 2016, 13 participants, including three self-proclaimed “sardine junkies” but also a complete newcomer, as well as three representatives of Berlin’s fine dining scene, gathered at Maître Philippe & Filles to learn more about the sardine.
Under the theme “The Fabulous World of the Sardine,” “les filles,” the two sisters Anaïs and Noémie Causse, invited them to explore this particular subject with culinary delight. Naturally, the discussion began with the vintage sardine, which is currently not only figuratively in everyone’s mouth.
But the focus was not exclusively on this particular luxury variety – the “normal” sardine and its many different varieties also took center stage: in a country comparison, the special characteristics of the Breton sardine were discussed in comparison to its Spanish and Portuguese sisters, followed by an introduction to the numerous different methods of preservation. The fish specialties were classically accompanied by a fresh white wine and rosé – at the end, the group tried to see how well the sardine pairs with red wine.
The vintage sardine is distinguished not only by its price and its pretty tin. In fact, it is much more about what is hidden inside and behind it. Simply put, it can be explained using the following cornerstones:
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The freshness principle: The sardines caught off the coast of Brittany are not flash-frozen and then thawed as needed, but are only kept in ice-cold water until they can be further processed just a few hours after being caught.
Side effect: since no frozen sardines are kept in stock, there is only a limited quantity of fish per vintage. This explains the rarity of the vintage sardine and makes it so precious. -
Hand processing: The sardines are processed by hand – only a very few steps, such as sterilization, are carried out by machines.
During the manual cleaning of the sardines by the experienced workers, no guts are damaged, so that the product is very clean and does not acquire a bitter aftertaste. - More flavor: This is initially due to the fact that the sardines are caught at around 2 years of age, when they are 11 to 12 centimeters long and have the fat content that makes the product beautifully juicy and aromatic. In addition to the high-quality, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, two additional steps of the so-called “à l’ancienne” production method – washing with salt water and subsequent frying – ensure that the sardine gets a very fine crispy layer that contributes to the taste experience. Under this delicious crispy skin, the thin layer of fat is preserved, which ensures that the sardine is beautifully juicy and therefore aromatic.
In the seminar, we tasted the vintages 2011, 2013, and 2015 and found that the two older vintages are distinguished by a more crumbly texture and are much milder in taste. The “fishiness” has disappeared, and the much-lauded combination of fish and fruity olive oil provides a juicy-sweet taste experience that was very well received by all participants. The younger 2015 vintage was perceived as comparatively “fishy” and somewhat drier in texture. However, everyone can agree that they would gladly take some home from all of them, and indeed: nothing is left in the tins.
The vintage sardine is a phenomenon limited to France. But what about elsewhere, in Spain or Portugal? A lot of fish is eaten there too, and sardines are very popular, but often more as part of the tapas culture. To illustrate the comparison, we serve small Spanish sardinillas. The fish are caught much earlier, when they are still very lean. This is noticeable in the texture and taste, but is still well received. The Portuguese sardines, perceived as very rustic, are a completely different story. This perception matches the experience we had at an internal tasting a few years ago. For us, this sardine feels as if you were sitting in a small bar by the harbor and eating the fish that had just been caught: rustic, down-to-earth, and a little coarser. As always, it is a matter of taste.
A fundamental difference that certainly contributes to the Breton sardine being far ahead in the country comparison: the finest cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is added to the French tins, which is intended to be eaten with the fish. The Spanish and Portuguese fill the tins with much paler olive oil, which merely serves as a preservative, is poured away before enjoyment, and replaced with fresh, good olive oil. The color differences alone range here from a rich sun-yellow with greenish reflections (Brittany) to a pale yellow (Spain and Portugal), and once again we notice: the eye eats too!
And then it was time to get down to the real stuff: because there are not only sardines in oil! Have you ever heard of sardines in butter? This is the traditional old method of preservation from Brittany, dating back to the time before olive oil began its global conquest. These sardines are briefly heated in the pan so that the butter melts and the aromas can beautifully unfold. A divine combination that was also almost universally very well received by the seminar participants and elicited sounds of approval from them.
The somewhat drier sardine in water and lemon (which is also low in salt, to add to all the troubles) and the light preparation of the sardine in white wine with cloves were less popular. So once again, we notice how important fat is as a flavor carrier. The dried and non-fried sardine from the glass by Jean de Luz tasted good to the participants, but besides the butter sardine, the sardine in rapeseed oil with orange is probably a highlight. Everyone is positively surprised by this unusually sounding combination, and once again, not a crumb is left.
Up to this point, we had been moving in rather classic territory – except for the aforementioned rapeseed oil-orange combination. Now we want to test a few of the more unusual varieties and also try whether the sardine pairs well with red wine. For this, we serve sardine with tapenade (black olive paste), à la Luzienne (with tomato, Bayonner ham, and Piment d'Espelette), with wasabi, with raisins and cumin, smoked sardines, and the spicy Chica-Pica sardines from the old traditional brand Rödel. It quickly becomes clear that the red wine (which should not be too full-bodied and should rather be free of tannins) pairs very well with all combinations. But the seminar participants are even more curious: how about beer, they want to know! And indeed: especially the exotic combination of raisins and cumin can be perfectly imagined by all of us with a floral Indian Pale Ale. To be continued ... maybe that can be the hook for a future seminar!
Conclusion of the evening: participants and hosts are happy, full, and satisfied. Both sides have learned a lot again and discovered a few new favorites. The sardines that probably impressed the most are: sardine in barrel butter, à la Luzienne, with raisins and cumin, and sardines in rapeseed oil with orange. Who would have thought?
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- All the sardines tasted that evening at a glance
- Sardine recipes tried by us ourselves
- All upcoming seminars at a glance
