By Sofia Perez
[Published by Forbes, December 1, 2024]
This is the time of year when many of us prepare elaborate meals and indulge our cravings for decadent food, but it’s also worth remembering that delicious gourmet treats can be healthy and easy to prepare. To wit: In Spain and Portugal, there is a long tradition of eating conservas, high-quality tinned fish and seafood, served straight from the can.
The fish or shellfish is steamed or fried within a day of being caught, so it’s as fresh as it gets, and then canned in olive oil, brine, or a vinegar-based sauce like escabeche, as a way to conserve it—hence the category’s name. But beyond extending these ingredients’ shelf life, canning also transforms them, even boosting the flavor the longer its stored. (There are aficionados who collect conservas and age these tins for years, as one would a fine wine.)
Need a holiday gift for your favorite gastronome? The companies below source fabulous fish and seafood from all over the world. You’d even do well to stash some extra cans in your own pantry, for last-minute entertaining. The recipe combinations are endless, but you can also keep it really simple, as they do in Spain: Open a tin, plate up some olives and potato chips, and serve it all with good bread, toothpicks, and a glass of Spanish vermouth on the rocks. ¡Olé!
Lata
In the middle of the pandemic, four Spanish expats in NYC were looking for a way to re-capture the conviviality of Spain’s tapas bars, where community revolves around food. They decided to launch Lata (the Spanish word for can), a company dedicated to premium conservas. Their inventory includes many of the finest producers in Spain and Portugal—such as Ramon Peña, Nuri, and Conservas de Cambados—as well as some from Denmark, Italy, Canada, and the company’s own branded tins. I especially loved Real Conservera Española’s berberechos al natural (cockles in brine) as well as its handpacked small sardines, which came perfectly arranged in the tin, like little iridescent jewels. Can’t make up your mind? Order one of Lata’s pre-set assortments or sign up for the monthly discovery box.
José Andrés Foods
No name is more closely identified with Spanish food in the U.S. than José Andrés, the D.C.-based celebrity chef, cookbook author, and founder of the food-relief nonprofit World Central Kitchen. Raised in Barcelona, Andrés is an expert on his homeland’s ingredients, including its tinned fish. His company markets a range of conservas produced by Los Peperetes, a well-respected artisan operation based in the northwestern region of Galicia. Spain’s best shellfish comes from the icy cold waters of the Atlantic and the fjords that carve up the region’s jagged coastline. I enjoyed the baby squid in ink and the plump mussels in a sauce made with onions, red peppers and tomatoes, but it was the bold marine flavor of the navajas (razor clams), packed in a simple brine, that stole the show.
JOSÉ Gourmet/ABC+
From the same parent company that brought you JOSÉ Gourmet, a line of exceptional Portuguese conservas, comes its newest brand, ABC+. Both source fish from small, local producers, but JOSÉ Gourmet’s flavor combinations hew closer to the traditional, while those offered by ABC+ are geared toward more adventurous consumers. You cannot go wrong with either one.
I knew that I would enjoy JOSÉ Gourmet’s bacalhau (salted cod) in olive oil and garlic as well as the sardines in olive oil and lemon, but the ABC+ trout in curry sauce was a lovely surprise. While JOSÉ Gourmet’s conservas come in classic rectangular cans, ABC+ hand-packs them into round containers, but both feature boxes that look like mini works of art. Given their beautiful designs, an assortment from one or both brands would make for an elegant and tasty holiday gift.
Ekone
First established 44 years ago by shellfish farmers Nick and Joanne Jambor, Ekone Seafood is now one of the last independent canneries in the U.S. When the Jambors retired in 2017, they sold their company to the legendary Taylor Shellfish Farms, a fifth-generation enterprise that has been selling top-quality Pacific Northwest shellfish since 1890. The Jambors left their cannery in good hands. Ekone’s excellent product line includes regeneratively farmed shellfish, like mussels and oysters, as well as wild-caught fish, such as salmon and tuna. The smoked oysters are nautical miles beyond the rubbery industrial kind you’ll find on most supermarket shelves, flavored with just enough smoke, while the smoked coho salmon had me scraping the bottom of the can to avoid leaving a morsel behind.
Fishwife
While “fishwife” originally referred to females who sold piscine products (typically the wives and daughters of fishermen), the term eventually took on a negative connotation, used to denote loud, brassy women. Turning the moniker on its own fishy head, Fishwife’s two founders, Becca Millstein and Caroline Goldfarb, wield it with humor. The playful b0x designs call to mind The Beatles’ video for “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” minus any trippy side effects, except maybe culinary bliss. Sourced from healthy fisheries and aquaculture farms that have been certified sustainable, their “Smoky Trio” assortment—featuring Fishwife’s terrific smoked rainbow trout, smoked mackerel with chili flakes, and smoked salmon—makes for a great gift. Attention to detail being everything, the cans come packed in a cool reusable tin, alongside a small colorful box of matches.
Tonnino
Lovers of preserved tuna are already familiar with Tonnino, which has become the U.S.’ top gourmet tuna brand. The Costa Rica–based company’s classic yellowfin ventresca in olive oil is an easy but luscious meal in a jar; toss it with your favorite pasta and herbs, and you’re good to go. But Tonnino also sells tuna filets dressed with seasonings like spicy Thai chili, and basil and sundried tomatoes. While the company recently rolled out some new canned items—pole- and line-caught albacore tuna mixed with vegetables—it’s the jarred wild-caught silver salmon (another name for coho) that is the finest addition to the lineup. Sourced from Alaska, the fish comes in three versions: smoked olive oil with rosemary; olive oil with garlic and dill; and extra-virgin olive oil on its own. No bells and whistles needed. Just tasty fish.
Sea Tales
Co-founded by chef Bart Van Olphen, Sea Tales supports traditional fisheries around the world, exclusively sourcing all of its products from fisheries certified by the international nonprofit Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). I first met reps from the Dutch company at June’s Fancy Food Show in NYC, where the brand lived up to its name and motto (“Seafood with a Story”), shining a light on the threats facing global fisheries and the communities that rely on them. Its fishermen and -women are highlighted on the company’s website and packaging. While products like the sardines in spicy tomato sauce are terrific straight out of the can, Van Olphen’s Tinned Fish Cookbook provides a slew of creative recipes—such as a sardine and leek tart—that transform the conservas from lunch-on-the-go to an elegant sit-down meal.
Patagonia Provisions
From the makers of colorful fleece pullovers comes an impressive lineup of fishy goodness. On some of the packaging, you’ll find a quote from Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, explaining why the outerwear giant got into the food business: “People buy a jacket every few years, but they eat several times a day. If we’re going to save our home planet, it starts with food.” Given the company’s eco-friendly ethos, it’s not surprising that Patagonia Provisions is careful about sourcing. The sardines, for example, are caught by producers who use small-scale purse seine nets to minimize bycatch, and many of the lightly smoked salmon products—including the wonderful wild sockeye salmon—come with a map indicating where the fish was caught. Some of the salmon products are packed in flat pouches that are easy to take on the road. Even those roughing it in the great outdoors can still eat like a king or a queen.
The Caviar Co.
No list like this would be complete without at least one extravagant splurge. While caviar is not a traditional “conserva”—unopened tins should be kept in the fridge and consumed within four weeks, to maximize freshness—it makes for an opulent addition to any holiday menu. If you’re going to indulge, order from The Caviar Co. Founded by two sisters, this San Francisco–based purveyor sources 12 different varieties of caviar and roe, primarily from sustainable aquaculture operations that use their own broodstock. The Caviar Co. also offers a dizzying array of customizable gift options—some with blini, crème fraîche, and mother-of-pearl spoons—like the $50 “Savor Set,” all the way up to the $1,525 “Ultimate Caviar Party Cooler,” which serves 30 to 40 people. The company’s Caviar Chronicles blog is also a helpful resource for the uninitiated, providing tips on pairing and how to open your precious purchase with a tin key.
Caviart® by Season
For the vegans in your life, be sure to purchase Caviart® by the Season brand. Established in 1921, this seafood stalwart is best known for its tinned fish, like sardines and mackerel, but the company’s “black seaweed pearls” are worth trying, especially if you’re someone who avoids eating animal products. Created by Danish chef Jens Moller, Season’s plant-based version of the luxury treat is made from seaweed that’s sustainably sourced from France and transformed into a close approximation of fish roe, with a pleasing texture and a bright saline kick. While serious caviar connoisseurs won’t be fooled, Caviart is an enjoyable substitute that won’t exclude anyone from your table, and the price is a fraction of what you’d pay for the real deal.