$1.09–that’s what locked me in. $1.09! And since we don’t do pennies anymore, that’s the same thing as a dollar, right? Plus, I said to meself, “You gotta give unsalted and packed in water a chance.”
First impressions: The scales, oh my stars, the scales. That snapshot of the fish in the can might look out of focus, but nope, it’s just that you’re seeing the sardines through a veil of scale. A gauzy curtain of fish armor. I don’t think I’ve ever taken a picture of an empty tin, but as a photojournalist I felt compelled to document the scalitude.
I’ve had thousands of cans of sardines over many decades. I’ve never wrestled with more scales in a single tin. Seasons touts “There’s Nothing Standard About Our Standards.” I’d say that their standards when it comes to preparing the fish are remarkably low. To me the message communicated is: “Seasons—We Don’t Give a Damn About You.”
“Shut up and eat your scales,” some ancestor shouted in my mind’s ear, so onto my rice and natto they plopped for breakfast. Have I ever had unsalted canned fish? I think probably not. Very surprising how keenly I felt salt’s absence. More jarring than when I’ve accidentally bought unsalted butter and noticed it only when I took the first bite of toast.
The good long soak in water—the universal solvent!—had a curious effect. These pilchards weren’t reduced to sprat-like smushiness, as I’d suspicioned. They were, instead, still relatively firm, just waterlogged. Water squished out with each bite, akin to chomping down on a wet sponge. (I’m assuming—never et a sponge.) Anyway, strange and not really very pleasant.
Just over a buck a can sure is tempting. But the thrill of the bargain did not, for me, make up for the downsides in this tin.
by DreweyD
7 Comments
“shut up and eat your scales” 😂😂😂😂 fuckin ded
Thank you for your service 🫡
Nice find.
Sometimes I’m disappointed by mediocre cans too, but they have their merits as well. They provide the contrast that helps me appreciate the good ones even more 🤗
Sardines in water give me hot dog water vibes 🤢
They probably work well in ramen if they’re already waterlogged. And for a dollar I can excuse scales… Flower and Al Shabwhatever charge me upwards of *three* dollars for the privilege.
Thanks. I’ve been having canned fished for a long time, however never tried Season brand. I won’t then.