Sometimes foods that come in cans are treasures. There is a certain satisfaction you get crooking your index finger into the metal tab of a small tray of tinned fish and pulling back the top to reveal silvery sardines tucked neatly into a flavorful sauce. Now more than ever, tinned fish is having a moment. And if you thought that tinned fish is a passing trend, the worldwide market is estimated to reach $11 billion by 2027. Though a simple meal of sardines and toast can be elegantly delicious, what is on offer in the cans themselves and at restaurants that are featuring them has grown in choice.
Years ago, I learned that European tinned fish aficionados ordered them by the case and kept them in storage enjoying different “vintages” as the fish aged inside the tins. Ever since, I’ve kept a robust collection as double purposed earthquake and/or last-minute meal provisions. As time has passed, the type of fish and seafood in my pantry expanded beyond sardines to include mussels, oysters, octopus, razor clams, geoduck, and even lobster along with the more familiar tuna and salmon.
More than most foods, tinned fish is an exploration of geography, tradition, ocean bounty, and sustainability with an overlay of artful design. Deciding on which brand and/or what fish or seafood preparation could almost be like a speed round game.
The retro packaging of Iberian preserved fish is very appealing. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
Old line Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French brands like Ramón Peña, Nuri, Ortiz, Pollastrini, Yurrita and Angelo Parodi, Matiz, José Gourmet and Donostia are just the beginning. There are literally too many to name. If you want to get an idea, just go on Amazon and search for tinned fish.
Several U.S.-based brands like Tiny Fish, Fishwife and Scout are women-led. And If you care about fish and seafood sustainability and provenance, then Patagonia is for you. But it is not alone in its ethical practices. Many of the highest quality U.S. brands are B corporations or Benefit Corporation, which means that the business meets high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
All of this bounty has inspired a new type of restaurant offering based on these tins, many of which are as delicious on the outside as is the food packed within. In addition to being served the ocean gems in a restaurant or wine bar setting, the tins can be bought retail in too many shops to name. Nearly any food shop that curates their inventory will have some on hand, given the engaging nature of much of the packaging. So if you find yourself at a butcher shop or cheese store or wine shop, ask if they have a selection of tinned fish. Each shop carries different brands and different products from within those brand inventories. For example, a few weeks ago, I was at Malibu Seafood for an oceanside meal, and I picked up a few cans of Fangst, a Nordic brand I’d never seen before. Go on a little can adventure!
What do you do with the tins if you’re eating them at home? Well that’s the fun. While great bread and really good butter are the perfect accompaniment to most tinned fish choices, as are crackers and an assortment of sour and spicy pickles and olives. Along with wine or a cocktail, this happy hour situation can easily become dinner. You can also use the products as the main ingredient in a pasta, risotto or salad whether leaf or grain. Personally I think the Italian pasta base of oil, garlic, chile and lemon suits nearly every type of tinned fish.
Botanica restaurant in Silver Lake offers a Tinned Fish Happy Hour. Photo courtesy of Botanica.
Where to eat tinned fish
Bar Moruno in Silver Lake
-Chef Chris Feldmeier and Managing partner David Rosoff’s interpretation of Spanish dining.
Botanica in Silver Lake
-Heather Sperling and Emily Fiffer’s “obsessively farmers’ market centric menu” which informs even the tinned fish items, beautiful and thoughtfully served.
Dear Jane’s in Marina del Rey
-Take a starter class in eating tinned fish with their Charcuterie of the Sea board.
Kippered in DTLA
-Cheesemonger Lydia Clarke and Chef Reed Herrick continue the collaboration begun as DTLA cheese in Grand Central Market. They have moved out of the market and created Kippered, a wine bar with a focus on tinned fish and sparkling wines.
Otoño in Highland Park
-Teresa Montaño’s progressive Spanish restaurant highlighting Valencia and Catalan cuisine.
Saltie Girl in West Hollywood
-Katie Sidell’s place that some are calling the “holy grail” of tinned fish due to their literal booklet of hundreds of types on offer.
Where to buy tins of fish and seafood
Epicurus Gourmet - Sherman Oaks
Lady and Larder - Santa Monica
McCall’s - Now in Los Feliz, moving to Glendale
Monsieur. Marcel - Beverly Grove
Rapido - Silver Lake