H Lewis Allways

Sardine shoppe in Lisbon, Portugal

Shoppekeeping has its allures.

UPDATE: Yes, I too am a fan of sardines. They are the future.

UPDATE: This is my new iPad background.

My The Great Sardini before I smushed it and layed on two slices of fresh tomato. I’m doing a self-directed course on how to eat sardines regularly. This works but probably defeats the benefits of all that Omega-3: homemade mayonaise, butter simmered can o’tomatoes, diced shallots, diced oil cured olives, Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Fish seasoning.

Was thinking about Bittman’s pan-fried chickpeas but wanted a little more like a salad. So I sauted chickpeas with minced shallots, 1 dried chile arbol, diced walnuts, baby spinach, and a can of those Wild Planet sardines I mentioned a few weeks ago and was surprised to find at the local co-op. Deglazed with red wine vinegar and chicken stock for a bit of a pan sauce. Not pictured but recommend garnishing with a few of the diced, uncooked shallots.

Wild Planet Foods

Are the products offered by Wild Planet sustainably caught?

YES, troll caught fish is listed as the “BEST CHOICE” in tuna by Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch for sustainability. Our Shrimp and Salmon are MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified for sustainability. Our largest shareholder is Sea Change Investment Fund, which requires that our product offerings be approved by their conservation committee.

How is Wild Planet fish caught?

Our fish are caught one-by-one using hand lines and “pole and troll” methods. This insures that, unlike the long-line caught fish many companies use, other species of marine life such as dolphins and turtles aren’t harmed. For more detail, please see view our page on Sustainability and Fishing methods.

Why does Wild Planet Albacore Tuna taste so much better?

We have very high standards for our bled sashimi-grade fish that we buy directly from US boats. We process completely differently from industrial canners. We hand-pack tuna loin chops raw directly into the can and they are cooked only once to capture all the rich flavor and natural oils of the tuna. No water or vegetable oil is added. The result is a delicious TUNA STEAK IN A CAN!

Why is there so much less mercury?

The troll-caught albacore in the North Pacific fishery are lower in mercury because these migratory fish are smaller (about 9 to 25 pounds) and younger (three to five years old) than the long-line caught older fish that reach up to 70 pounds after ten to fifteen years of growth. Naturally, the longer a fish lives and feeds, the more it bio-accumulates mercury.

“The flesh smoothes and becomes “confite” alowing the synthesis between the calcium of the bone and the different minerals of the olive oil to be transfered in the flesh. Remember olive oil is a natural fruit juice. Sardines are transsubstantied in this mystical process…”

From my new favorite mystical sardine blog The Society for the Appreciation of the Lowly Tinned Sardine’s review of La Perle des Dieux au fromage de chèvre et aux herbes de Provence.