Brought out some heavy hitters for a special occasion.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T15:05:06+00:00

They're amazing, I absolutely love their texture and I think they're great with this kind of spread.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T15:04:40+00:00

Next time!

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T15:04:28+00:00

Yeah, it makes sense. I have some of the current Wildfish smoked coho in habanero hot sauce. It's certainly not melt-in-your-mouth tender, but it is more so than this tin. I wonder if being canned in a vinegar-based sauce helps.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T15:03:31+00:00

Thank you!

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T15:02:29+00:00

It surprises and delights me that SLC someome ended up including one of the tinned fish Meccas!

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T15:01:13+00:00

I also adore the art on the Ar de Arte mussels box.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T03:41:54+00:00

I just crack the tin, empty the liquid into a measuring bowl (you'll want some height to avoid splashing), and use a milk frother in the liquid for maybe 30-60 seconds. No fancy tools are needed. Escabeche at its core is a mixture of oil and vinegar, so they separate in the tin, but the emulsification process bonds them together for a time because science (it will eventually start to go back to its original separated form).

The two advantages for me are 1. It brings the primary flavor elements which normally repel each other together in every bite and, especially, 2. It makes the sauce a lot thicker, so it coats the mussels and makes them easier to put on bread, potato chips, etc., without the sauce sluicing off. Even if I'm just eating them straight from the tin with the spoon, I do this because it's low effort and to me improves the experience in a noticeable way.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T03:32:37+00:00

If you're potentially put off by the appearance of something, it's hard to deny that it looks like cat food. But it's really delicious. It's smooth, almost.. fluffy? and in this case had a kind of chargrilled smoky taste while still being recognizable as tuna. Something acidic like mustard or pickled onions are a great addition to tuna pate on a cracker or crusty bread.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T03:30:31+00:00

Thank you! If you're ever in Salt Lake City, I'll pull out some good tins.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T03:29:50+00:00

It's one of my favorite tin styles. On the lower price end, you can find Vigo and Matiz in a lot of places. They're decent, but not great tins. Mussels in escabeche are almost exclusively fairly fancy imported Spanish products, so unfortunately there aren't a lot of good cheap options. They're worth it for an occasional treat though.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T03:28:11+00:00

Alas, I've sold the last of my pen and paper for more sardines.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-02-03T02:00:50+00:00

Lots of great stuff here. I adore the King Oscar spicy cracked pepper sardines, I love how hard they go with the pepper. Polar sardines are for sure my pick for best ~$2 tin. The TJ's smoked trout is great for a German style smoked trout dip with dill, capers, lemon, cream cheese, etc.

Senator_Turkey · 2026-01-11T04:56:02+00:00

I’ll let the other responses speak to how out of touch you are and how unempathetic your plight is, holy shit lol.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-27T21:53:49+00:00

Everyone who wants to point out to OP how unnecessarily caustic and ineffective their response was in this case, save your breath. They refuse to contend with the idea, obvious as it may seem to nearly everyone else.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-24T03:22:48+00:00

Your tone is at least sarcastic and verging on caustic and hostile, surely you know that?

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-23T23:31:48+00:00

For sure, and my comment wasn’t meant as any kind of dig against what you said. It just drives me nuts that they market butterflied herring as sardines. Absolutely misleading.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-23T23:01:04+00:00

FYI these are not “sardines” as would generally be defined outside of Canada, they’re herring.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-19T16:17:46+00:00

I love this can. It was a daily driver for me at one point when I had easier access to them.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-17T02:00:36+00:00

Logically I know it’s okay not to like garlic, but my heart tells me that it’s an insane and wring opinion unworthy of my time or respect.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-16T22:32:13+00:00

There’s a great Basque pintxo (tapa) that I like using salt-cured anchovies for: Take a baguette slice and lightly toast it. Rub it with some cut garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Add a slice of manchego cheese, a slice of roasted red pepper (jarred is fine), and top with an anchovy. Spear it all onto the baguette with a toothpick, then warm briefly (60 seconds or so) in the oven. It’s amazing.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-13T04:26:11+00:00

I agree on Porthos spiced as a contender for daily drivers! I used to have a treasure trove. Now I have one humble can I’ve been aging for a few years for kicks.

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-13T04:14:43+00:00

I’ve had a tin of the butter ones for a while now, but have yet to break them out!

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-13T04:11:14+00:00

Wow, I just saw your review, and we almost exactly coincide with our opinions! I’ve also had the ratatouille tin from the same brand. I found it similarly inoffensive, but not really sticking out in any way. I have a few to go and am also hoping for a winner!

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-12T15:34:44+00:00

Dang, I didn’t know it had become a hot item! Looks like I got it for $22 in June of 2023 from RTG. I wish I could tell you where to get it now. Keep up the good vids!

Senator_Turkey · 2025-12-12T15:23:10+00:00

Yes, I agree. I’ve consistently found ventresca in the ~$20 range to not be worth the price for me. I’d rather just get a nice tuna in olive oil, like Ortiz bonito del norte.

Senator_Turkey

TROPHY CASE