Sardine

Sardine (originally 'the Sardinian fish,' and applied to a kind of tunny), the French name for Pilchard (q.v.), in England used for small pilchards specially prepared. In France and Portugal sardines are cured with oil in tin boxes, forming a much-esteemed delicacy, and, at the same time, a most wholesome article of food; in this form they are exported to all parts of the world. To cure them in this way, they are first carefully washed in the sea, then sprinkled with fine salt, and after a few hours the head, gills, &c. are removed; they are then washed again, and spread out on willow branches or wire-work, exposed to the sun and wind, if the weather is dry, but in damp and rainy weather to a current of air under cover. They are next put into boiling oil, in which they remain for a short time, and when they are taken out the oil is drained away from them as much as possible, and they are put into the tin boxes whose shape and appearance are so familiar to every one. The boxes, being filled with sardines, are filled up with oil, the lid is soldered on, and they are placed for a short time in boiling-water, or exposed to hot steam. The boxes which have leaked or have burst in boiling are rejected, and those which remain sound are now ready for the market. Sardines have of late years been much less abundant off the French coasts. Sardines à l'huile are made from sprats at Deal in Kent. Maine, U.S., now produces large quantities of excellent sardines from a small kind of herring; Eastport canning as many as 600,000 cases in a year. In the south of France sardines are sometimes cured in red wine.