🌍 Dive into Sustainability with Every Bite!
Santo Amaro Authentic European Sardines in Tomato Sauce are hand-packed, wild-caught sardines from Portugal, offering 23g of protein per serving. Sustainably sourced and free from GMOs and BPA, these gourmet sardines are perfect for a variety of diets and culinary uses, all while supporting traditional fishing methods.
K**Y
Tasty, oily, fish with integrity
I ordered these the same time I ordered some King Oscar Royal Selection sardines with "peppers, garlic, rosemary and hot chili"; the King Oscars were also a premium price, but the reviews led me to believe they would be worth it.Oscar arrived first. They were something of a disappointment: the fish were so cooked they were mushy, and the taste of peppers was *barely* noticeable; I didn't even realize they had garlic until I looked at the package again and saw it listed. Not did I notice rosemary, and it was more like "Not chili". Even the sardine flavor was meh. I haven't opened the other can (it was a two-pack); maybe I just got a bad can, and others are more like what got rave reviews. To me it was as "spicy" as a typical Midwestern hot dish, which is to say, not at all. I guess that kind of makes sense, since King Oscar is a Norwegian brand and much US Midwestern cuisine and tastes were formed by Nordic and Germanic immigrants who settled there (they weren't afraid of bitter winters, I guess).So later, this 3-pack of Santo Amaro comes. I opened a can right away to check it out. As another reviewer said, there is a lot of olive oil in the can and it's hard to remove the pulltop without getting some all over (I managed to keep it just on my hands, but my fingers were *dripping*). But good news: the oil tastes really good. It's quality olive oil with just a hint of fish and pepper, suitable for saving and using in a salad dressing or a quick saute.Then I dig into the fish itself. As I say in the title, these sardines have integrity: I mean, there are actually recognizable tubes of fish body (minus heads and tails) that haven't been processed into mush. Also, they're kosher, sustainably harvested, non-gmo, etc etc.And they taste great! Not a strong fishy odor (I mean, for sardines, which ordinarily do radiate a bit), just good little fishes with a nice savory tang. Still not flamethrower hot, but that's fine; the pepper shouldn't overwhelm the flavor of the fish, but I did want it to be noticeable, and in Santo Amaro's product, it is. That's the Portuguese origin shining through.I also experienced a few fishy burps after on, as another reviewer complained of. But they weren't bad or long-enduring, and the delight of eating these sardines was well worth a couple of brief "reminders". I suspect it might have been on account of how much of the olive oil I consumed, not strictly due to the fish; high-fat foods can trigger acid reflux, which may be what have both me and the other guy "fishy burps". The solution might be to wipe off as much of the oil as possible before eating, and certainly not to add mayonnaise as he did. There's no need to, these fish are plenty oily and not dry like water-packed fish can be sometimes after you drain off the water.I will say that my burps did not include any burning capsicum, though the fruity flavor of the pepper was present. That is more of a problem when very hot chilis are mixed with high-fat foods (one issue I have with very spicy Mexican food is the combination of lard and peppers, which leads to "flame burps" -- far worse, in my opinion, than the fishy kind).Highly recommend. I changed my subscription to monthly from every 2 months after tasting them.
A**R
Great taste!!!
For the amount of money that the sardines cost, the taste was absolutely wonderful. If you eat your sardines by appearance, only they are lacking in that department i encountered a few scales per can however for the money the taste is fantastic. They are fresh and firm. The appearance is lacking because it appears to have a little bit of water with the olive oil, but to me that does not matter they taste great. I have no indigestion issues well worth the money.
E**.
Plenty per tin, nice flavor
Nice thick fish, 3 per tin, tomato is the best because it reduces the fish flavor. One can is enough for a nice breakfast of toast with melted butter for two.
M**A
Good, Not My Thing Though
I tried sardines years ago and got a cheap tin of American brand at the grocery store. They smelled awful and tasted bad.I keep seeing people rave about Spanish and Portuguese tinned fish and how amazing they can be. I read reviews here saying things like, don’t smell or taste “fishy.” They definitely smell fishy. The taste is pretty clean. It’s not a bad snack but the reward for the cost isn’t there for me. I do understand the appeal and they probably do taste better with wine, I just don’t drink. Anyway, 4 stars because the product is probably really good for what it is. A tin of fish.
M**A
Excellent product
Sardines are delicious and not overly spicy. Very good product and will buy again
C**P
great sardines
I love sardines thanks to my father's love for them, I was introduced to them at an early age. In elementary school the kids would move away from me when I had sardine sandwiches for lunch! These are really delicious, have a slight smoky flavor. Probably the best I have ever had, and that is a lot of years of eating them. (I'm 75). I eat them right out of the can. A bit more expensive, but the can is larger than the average. Go for it.
L**E
Ok
Very light lemon flavor. Nice, big sardines. Were kind of scaly. Probably won't buy again.
F**.
Delicious
Just received today and popped open for supper. Delicious! Even though there were only 3 in the can, it was solidly packed and was a nice firm texture. Next time I'll mince up some Vidalia onions to go on top and add some guacamole to it. Tonight was a treat! I haven't found sardines in tomato sauce to years. Not oily either. Will definitely get again.
D**R
Perfect packaging, nicely flavored
A very nice variety pack of Portugal sardines. The two cans with peri-peri really bring out the flavor in these fish. The attractive packaging is world-class design, and I can see that this set of sardines won't last long in our house! A tad on the expensive side, but there is truly nothing better for lunch in the woods or for a picnic.
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2 months ago
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