Two takes on sardines

One of the things I really enjoy about blogging is the conversations it starts with my family on topics that don't normally come up. Like, I don't usually ask them about their fish preferences. But after my post yesterday about wanting to try eating smaller fish because they are healthier for you, my sister and dad both shared personal stories about eating sardines.

When my sister was in college she lived for two years in Portugal. The interview I heard on Fresh Air mentioned that grilled sardines are popular in Portugal, and sure enough she said she ate them all the time. In the seaside Vila do Conde, "The women used to walk through the town early in the morning with baskets of sardines on their heads. I can still hear them yelling, 'Sardinas, pecininas' (small sardines). They are quite delicious when grilled and I've even eaten them canned here because they are a great source of minerals, especially calcium."

All right, I'm sold. I'm so trying some sardines. Maybe I'll start with canned sardines since that would be easier. But wait, then I got an e-mail from my dad with a different take on sardines. I like the way he tells stories (maybe I got the writing bug from him), so I'm going to quote his whole e-mail.

"OK so here's a little story from when I was a yute, er, youtthh. I used to hang out over at David Sanford's house because they were a cool family and of course mine was not. Mr. Sandford ate canned sardines, so there were times when I was at the Sanford house and I would eat canned sardines too. Ugh. I can't believe now that I actually ate them. No to sardines. Double no to anchovies (they stink). And herring? - forgetaboutit."

Delicious versus ugh. Hmm, well I guess to each his own. I'll have to try for myself to see who I agree with.