I thought I was buying a tub of Rollmops, but when I got home I found I'd bought Dill Marinated Herring instead.
This was the second time in recent weeks that I've bought the wrong product on account of the packaging being similar. Previously it was a jar of Nescafé, where I confused a jar of 'expresso' with one of ordinary granules. Both jars were identical.
This time it was with a marinated fish product. At my favourite Sainsbury's store they sell two different products in almost identical pots, they are also side by side on the shelf. I had wanted some Rollmops but managed to grab the other one instead.
However, this time I was very happy to have done so as the Herrings you see above are totally delicious. They are half way between Swedish Sill, and the bog standard Rollmops. They are sweet but still with a hint of acidity.
I shall certainly buy these again, and make sure I read the label first; otherwise I might come home with Rollmops.
I should add that Swedish Lady Magnon, who was raised on Sill and Meatballs, refused to taste them. More for me!
If your local Sainsbury's sells them, I can recommend.
It’s hard for us sill connoisseurs to be outside the herring straits.
ReplyDeleteI am a Sill fanatic; I was introduced to it by my late Mother-in-Law. This is not the same at all, but very good.
DeleteI really like both this and this, but of course I have to look for them in faraway places. sometimes i find
ReplyDeleteIn France I couldn't find any Swedish Sill, so I tried to make my own. They were never very good!
DeleteIt is quite a nice surprise sometimes to buy something by mistake then find that you like it.
ReplyDeleteA very pleasant mistake. It's not always like that.
DeleteThis blogpost is sure to ignite customer stampedes at Sainsburys stores all over the kingdom as the shelves are stripped of jars of Dill Marinated Herring.
ReplyDeleteI should be on commission.
DeleteI've never tried either. Somehow roll mops looked just too fishy for my taste. Give me tinned sardines or tuna
ReplyDeleteI remember Lady M saying that they were once given Rollmops for lunch at school, and no-one would eat them. She still doesn't like them. I like most tinned fish.
DeleteAre you watching Rick Stein's 6.30 programme on BBC2? Bliss last night as he went to my home county Lincolnshire and looked at strawberries grown by Dyson, plum bread, Lincolnshire sausage and stuffed chine. We always killed a pig every winter - sausages galore, huge stuffed chine. We always had home made plum bread. Do watch - I am sure it will be half an hour right up your street. (Previous night it was Morecambe Bay and brown shrimps in clarified butter.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't watch it last night as I was busy preparing a delicious Valentine Dinner. I fried a thick Rib Eye Steak, which was possibly the most delicious and tender that I've ever eaten. I shall try to watch RS tonight.
DeleteIt has been a long time since I have bought pickled fish, I should.
ReplyDeleteThese are very lightly 'pickled', and quite sweet. I find them 'just right'.
DeleteI just don't like the look of roll mop herrings. Reminds me of jellied eels. No, no, no.
ReplyDeleteI like Jellied Eels. These Herrings above don't have the skin on, you may like them.
DeleteYour mistake turned out to be a lucky new find. Not having to share them works equally well for you. Does Billy get a taste?
ReplyDeleteNo, they're all for ME. I'm not sure about Billy; he does eat Salmon skin, so they'd probably be OK.
DeleteYou need to read the labels when selecting from the shelves. In this case your accidental purchase was a good one, but next time it might not be.
ReplyDeleteI used to be very good at reading labels; for ingredients, etc. These days I tend to be more relaxed, and go around blindly grabbing what I think I want. I never read prices either!
DeleteI'm glad your purchase turned out well. But I have to admit that they look awful... guess I was taught as a child to only eat seafood that was 'fresh'.
ReplyDelete