Have you ever been told that you are being served anchovies and instead you have been served sardines? Do you feel perplexed when you come across fishes looking extremely similar and yet bearing different names? The ambiguity may be genuine because there is substantial difference anchovies and sardines but you may not be mislead in a restaurant if you think you haven’t been served sardines as they are not just one fish but a classification that applies to many similar fishes.
First, let us take the similarities out of the way. Both sardines and anchovies are small, silvery, streamlined with soft bones, salty fishes originating in the Mediterranean and they have a characteristic taste. Anchovies and sardines are both oily fishes, rich in omega fatty acids which are good for the health and the fish oils along with other nutrients are good for cognitive development. Both fishes are of the order Clupeiformes but anchovies are of the family Engraulidae and sardines including herrings are of the family Clupeidae.
Anchovies
Anchovies are obviously found in the Mediterranean but also widely found in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. Some species of anchovies are also found in freshwater lakes and rivers. Anchovies are usually six inches long. There is a subtle difference between the anchovies of the Mediterranean and those that are found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Anchovies are also found in the Black Sea, but in much smaller schools.
Sardines
Sardines usually refer to more than one fish. It could be pilchard, sprat or herring. They are a saltwater fish almost never found in freshwater. Sardines are mostly found in the Mediterranean, particularly along the coast of Sardinia in Italy. That is also perhaps what inspired its naming. Sardines are also found around the world but they are not of the exact same species or quality. Sardines are usually five to eight inches long. Anchovies are rarely eight inches.
How They Differ?
Anchovies and sardines are consumed in different ways. Sardines are sold in smoked or salted form, in a sauce or oil. Larger sardines are sold raw, fresh or frozen and they are usually grilled or roasted. Sardines are also consumed in their natural form and as fillets. Anchovies are oil packed or salt cured and can be sold as rolled or filleted, flat or in the form of paste.
Both anchovies and sardines mature at the onset of summer and that is the best time to find the freshest, largest and most nutritious anchovies and sardines.
