Sardines “A feast for Saint Anthony”

The sardine culture in Lisbon was my inspiration for this box. Grilled sardines are a traditional dish in Portugal. There is even a sardine festival, the feast of Saint Anthony (the marriage saint). Sardine season coincides with the Feast of St. Anthony and all over the city people grill them with the aroma wafting through the air. The streets are filled with parades, people drinking wine and enjoying grilled sardines served on a slice of bread to soak up the juices.

The story goes that St. Anthony gave a “sermon to the fishes”, to impress heretics, he preached the word of God and the fishes poked their heads out of the water to listen. The sardines represent those miraculous fish.