I want some sardines

[selectortone]

Anybody tried to buy tinned sardines lately? Don't bother there aren't any.

50 years ago, when I was living in a bedsit in the worst part of Bournemouth (Boscombe Crescent, if anyone knows the area), sharing a rather disgusting bathroom and living on the wages of an apprentice TV service engineer, my one 'luxury' on a weekend was sardines on toast. A very humble luxury, but there you are.

Feeling nostalgic, I thought I'd buy a tin a couple of months ago. Among the unpredicatable and surprising shortages due to *your pet annoyance here*, the supermarkets have, apparently, been out of tinned sardines for months, and still are, around here anyway. Unless, for some strange reason, you like them in tomato sauce. I don't.

So, 50 years on, this is progress. You can't go to Sainsburys (or Tesco, or Lidl) and buy a tin of sardines. Yes, I know... a first world problem, I should be thankful I don't live in Yemen, blah blah blah.

Just another trivial annoyance in the death by a thousand cuts we call life in 2021. I'm more and more looking forward to not waking up in the morning.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I picked up a dozen or so cans a few weeks ago - Morrisons. 39p, in olive oil. They're the cheapest in olive oil anywhere.
Both Morrisons and Tesco on line here show quite a lot but probably not the full range.

 

[Richard_C]

Picked up a couple of tins in Tesco this morning, no great drama. Think they were in sunflower oil, maybe tomato but we get either or both. Sainsburys normally have them as well. They come in flat rectangualr tins these days. Very occasionally I get fresh ones for the barbecue in early summer from the fishmonger on the market, but they need to be really really fresh.

If sardines continue to evade you, try pilchards which are grown-up sardines. Often in tomato sauce but also available in brine. Or maybe in brian if you know someone called Brian who eats pilchards. When I was a student in 1972 in Manchester, a typicsl lunch from the UMIST bar was a pilchard barm and a half of Wilsons. Cheapest option for both food and drink.

If we do run out of sardines, it will inevitably be declared to be the fault of the French, the 'go-to bad people' preferred by DBAME. (the government Department of Blame Apportionment, Misdirection and Excuses) although it mighj just be poor signage - the recently installed "British fish this way" signs along the 12 mile limit are not multilingual.

 

[gog64]

Hi selectoretone (Tony?). Sorry to hear you’re feeling that way, if I was closer I’d be round with a can of sardines pronto. If the selector in your handle is ska, then I’m with you, if it’s Bo Selecta then you’re on your own mate!

Seriously though, is there anyone that you can talk with? It helps. A mate of mine delights in trying to make me fall for his latest story (I am well known for being gullible). He convinced me that another mate was a swinger and into orgies. We are all in our late 50s, but somehow I fell for it (yet again). I braced the other pal, wanting to know what the HECK he was playing at. Well, you can imagine the rest. If you want to chat just DM me or PM, or whatever it’s called!

 

[Linus]

If you shop on Amazon you will find literally dozens of varieties available including Morrisons.

 

[Droogs]

Now we're out of the EU they've gone back to being branded as pilchards and been put on the top shelf

 

[baldkev]

I feel your pain, ive had a similar experience with lottery tickets! No matter which shop i try they've never got any winning lottery tickets for sale! the sun said it's because france blockaded the winning tickets lorry from getting over here.

If anyone has any round their way, send em on down to devon, I'll cover postage costs and time. Ideally a 'set for life' ticket please

 

[Cooper]

We get them from Lidl by the dozen tins, less than 50p a tin. I prefer in olive oil.

 

[John Brown]

Mackerel fillets in oil from Lidl. Better than sardines, in my opinion.
Straight from the tin with a slice of Shipton Mill Malthouse flour bread.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

We get them from Lidl by the dozen tins, less than 50p a tin. I prefer in olive oil.

The Lidl ones in olive oil are more than 50p, nearer 90p iirc.

 

[sammy.se]

I still don't know if the original post was a joke or not...

 

[stuart little]

I've had no trouble getting them from Mr.Sainsbury, in brine/spring water, olive oil, [no popeye] & tomato sauce.

 

[Noho12C]

Do people still eat those ? I remember my father liked those, always found them plain disgusting.

Anyhow, have you checked online ?

 

[selectortone]

I still don't know if the original post was a joke or not...

I was having a bad day yesterday for several reasons. The continued absence of tinned sardines at the three supermarkets I visited was the icing on the cake.

Yes, I know it's trivial. I was just venting. My apologies.

 

[hairy]

If you have icing on your cake you are very lucky

I have a pair of tins of sardines despite no-one in this house likes them which I could post? In tomato sauce but I could rinse them a bit if that helps?

 

[selectortone]

If you have icing on your cake you are very lucky

I have a pair of tins of sardines despite no-one in this house likes them which I could post? In tomato sauce but I could rinse them a bit if that helps?

I've found some now but thank you for your kind offer.

 

[clogs]

only a few weeks ago I had fresh grilled White Bait.........mmmm
I miss the smoked haddock the real stuff and proper kippers.....oh well.....

mind, fresh Tuna and Swordfish steaks make up for it.....lol........

 

[Sandyn]

TV service engineer, my one 'luxury' on a weekend was sardines on toast. A very humble luxury, but there you are.

Ah!!! the good old days when life was much simpler and pleasure was easier to find. When you have very little, it takes very little to find pleasure.
For me, there is nothing quite like a fried egg sandwich with soft white bread and ketchup to cheer me up. Just going to have some just now.!

 

[woodieallen]

I get my man to catch and fillet mine. Not sure I see your problem

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A large tin of pilchards in tomato sauce eaten straight out of the tin and a pint of good scrumpy is an excellent hangover cure. Well, it used to be about forty years ago.