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In Defense of Sardines...
6/20/07
I did a lot today. I finished making a necklace.
I got started on a watch.
I designed and made tags for my jewelry collection.
I saw both my hairdresser and my therapist. But I also spent a good deal of time
defending sardines.
My troubles began during Beth's visit. We took pictures of every meal that we ate
and posted them on the day's adventures. On her last morning, in a hurry to get her to
the airport on time, we ate a quick breakfast featuring Sardines on Toast with sliced Tomato &
Green Onion, and a side of sliced Strawberries.
That picture elicited quite a bit of
e-mail traffic. Says "A:" "I just read the last page of Beth's Birthday Bash. Sardines on toast
is a joke, right? You wouldn't really eat that stuff, would you? Ugh!"
No, it's not a joke. I like Sardines. Beth likes them too. They're chock-full of
Omega 3, so they're healthy. Omega 3 helps prevent heart disease; no joking matter with my family's medical history. And they're bait fish. Think
about it... a hundred-million larger fish have committed suicide-by-hook just for a
taste. Can that many be wrong?
"V," on the other hand, writes: "Bait fish! Well, THERE's an appetizing thought! Oh, god, they still have their
little eyes on! I'm not sure I can bring myself to try them, but I'll think about it.
Aren't they really oily and/or salty? I tried escargot on the cruise for the first time
and liked it. Maybe I can work up the nerve by Oct."
Maybe in the old days, Sardines came with their heads, but the ones that I buy are packed
in water, do not have heads, tails, or fins. They are a somewhat oily fish naturally
(That's where the Omega 3 is), but they are not salty at all. Anchovies are salty and I
don't like them - I think... OK, I admit I haven't tried them for a few decades. By the way, I tried escargot many
years ago on a business trip to Toronto. I fully admit they tasted good. Like rubbery
garlic and butter. But they are still bugs and now that I tried them, I wouldn't eat
them again. So I can't personally claim to be fully prejudice-free when it comes to food.
"V" further writes: "When I was a kid I recall seeing my dad eat sardines out of the
tin--they were the whole fish, eyes and all, and I guess I thought that's the way they
all are." And "A" asks: "Do they pack them in cans with roll tops -- like in the cartoons?"
Today's Sardines are not our father's sardines. The good news is that there are no eyes to watch
you. The sad thing is there is no key to open the can up either. They've modernized.
Sardines come in pop-top cans. I miss the key.
Until about eight weeks ago, I did not like sardines. I had never tried sardines, but
I just did not like them and I knew it. Then, Lucy from HMR started a unit in my weight maintenance/
nutrition class on nutrients and started lecturing about the benefits of Omega 3 and
Sardines. It took a few weeks of hearing about them before finally getting off the mark and trying
them out. I was pleasantly surprised. Now I eat them for a fast lunch-on-the-run with five
Ak Mok Crackers and a side of fruit (apples are very portable and full of fiber). At
home, I throw them into salads, eat them with tomatoes and green onions on toast, and
sometimes straight out of the can.
I used to not try new foods. I used to not try foods that way-long-time-ago I didn't
like. I used to weigh 358 pounds. Now I experiment. A lot. And my weight averages around 149
pounds. The main difference between "then" and "now" is that I am not locked into a small group of foods that I am
comfortable with. I try all sorts of different things, and the amount of food I eat now
as compared to then is astronomical. But what I eat now is generally nutritious, low
calorie, and varies from day-to-day and even meal-to-meal.
I love food. I love to eat. Long live Sardines!
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