Pinxa, sardine in barrels

With the scientific name Sardina pilchardus, it belongs to the zooplankton family. The pinxa is nothing more than a salted sardine that is usually sold in barrels and that in the rest of the Islands and in Catalonia is called arengada. Pinxa comes from the English word pilchard, and in Menorca they are very appreciated.

They are made into salads, stuffed with tomatoes, fritters, and the typical coca with tomato and pinxa is a classic. In the past, they were eaten as a snack in factories, where they were heated on the stove, and wrapped in parchment paper they were crushed with a doorknob. This way they were easier to peel. They could also be toasted and accompanied by grapes, and always well seasoned with olive oil.

When someone ate “bread with pinxa” it was an indication of poverty; but now it has become a gourmet dish, as has also happened with cod.

There are few establishments that have the barrel of pinxes, and it has become a delicatessen product that is usually sold empty in specialized establishments.

As for the fresh sardine, it is a summer dish that is usually eaten toasted, over a wood fire. The best sardines are those that go from Virgin to Virgin. This means from the Virgin del Carmen (July 16) to the Virgin from August (August 15).