The century-old Portuguese company Conservas Nero has been highlighted in a tasting of various canned preserves by a New York-based expert.
Founded in 1912 in Sesimbra, the Portuguese firm was originally established to focus on the salting and drying of fish. Ten years later, it decided to work exclusively on the production of canned preserves. In 1930, its products were recognised at the Setúbal Regional Exhibition, where they were awarded the Silver Medal.
In the 2010s, the company launched Catraio tuna, Naval cod, and Georgette sardines, while also introducing a major innovation: canned black scabbard fish from Sesimbra.
Conservas Nero saw its products distinguished and nominated in the "Best Artisanal Product of the Year 2015" category by WINE magazine. Furthermore, its Naval tuna with seaweed was awarded two stars at the Great Taste Awards (This is one of the most prestigious gastronomic awards in the United Kingdom, making it an excellent seal of quality for the British market).
Currently, Conservas Nero supplies both the domestic and export markets, remaining constantly attentive to new trends and the most discerning palates.
Full article by NYT:I’m craving something satisfying, a quick nutritional boost. I open my pantry. Canned beans? Too much work. Potato chips? Not exactly nutritious. My eyes land on a rectangular can. Sardines. I grab the tin, hook my finger under the tab, and carefully peel back the lid.
A satisfying pop, a hiss of air. Glistening swimmers, neatly trimmed and arranged in shimmering oil. I grab a fork and dig in, savoring each salty, meaty bite. Snacking solved, oh so tastily.
I liked sardines way before they were cool. Now I’m just one of many who adore the little oily fish, which ascended in recent years from unassuming to superstar.
It may have started with the resurgence of shelf-stable foods during the pandemic, or record-breaking tourism numbers for sardine-centric countries like Portugal and Spain, or perhaps a renewed appreciation for sardines’ health benefits.
Whatever the reason, social media is now crowded with sea-cuterie boards and sardine reviews, while sardinecore handbags, dresses, jewelry, dishes, and home decor came to define last year’s sardine girl summer. Now that being a tinned fish sommelier is an actual job, I believe we’ve reached peak sardine.
To cut through the hype, we sampled 59 different tins of oil-packed, mostly unflavored sardines to find the very best. Our picks range from plump and pleasantly pungent to lean and luxurious, with budget and splurge options. They will all make your pantry a tastier place.
