Looking for a holiday gift for that tinned fish lover in your life? See this and several other curated Fishwife Gift Sets on sale now.
Fishwife Gift Sets
Tag: Fishwife
Fishwife Sardines with Hot Pepper
I picked up these Fishwife Sardines with Hot Pepper at Whole Foods the last time they were on sale there. I've worked my way through about half their catalog of tinned fish so far. I wanted to see how they compared to the version with preserved lemon. Let's see how these are.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.
Another of those tough to open cans. These look really nice. Silvery skin with no scales apparent. They still have their pelvic fins, which normally aren't prickly, so they don't present a problem. The aroma is of a very fresh sardine. A sip of the EVOO is neutral until the pepper sneaks up at the back of the throat. The pepper has a different note than the usual piri-piri I'm used to. The carton just says "hot pepper".
A small taste finds the pepper's heat hasn't really translated to the fish. Nonetheless, they are reasonably firm yet tender, and have a really good sardine flavor.
Let's Eat
There were four stocky pilchards. One I ate by itself to get a sense of the quality. They resisted being pried from the can, so they got a little roughed up.
Out over rice, there's the pepper. It doesn't look any different than what you find in most cans of spicy sardines. I also poured about half the oil remaining in the can over all of it. I figured it would be the best chance of maximizing the hot pepper experience.
Working through it, the pepper level was steady, and didn't become fatiguing. The meat on these is tender and not dry at all. The salt level was OK. It seemed less than the average 340mg. listed, though.
Main Takeaways
- Top quality sardine, hot pepper or no
- Initial impression was of possibly more heat than necessary, but didn't turn out to be the case
- Spendy, but a bargain if found on sale
Reasonably priced at Amazon, but only in a 4-pack assortment.
Brand: Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co.
Description: Sardines with hot pepper
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $8
Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off sitewide.
Affiliate link, earns commissions
Fishwife Smoked Rainbow Trout
I've tried a few different tinned trout recently, some smoked, with mix results. I hoped this Fishwife Smoked Rainbow Trout would be the breakthrough I was looking for.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.
Examples of this product I've seen before had a more impressive look. Authentically smoked fish, particularly that with a darker flesh, usually exhibits a mahogany hue after smoking. (See Fishwife Slow Smoked Mackerel.) This one looks a little pale by comparison. The initial aroma is smoky, and I find it neither too subtle nor overpowering. A sip of the oil has a similar note.
The can is packed reasonably full. The pieces of fillet appear to be skinless. We'll have to wait until it's out of the can to see what's on the other side.
A nibble of fish is promising. The smoke flavor seems spot on, and so does the salt level. I'm having trouble not just eating it all right from the can.
Let's Do Lunch
I flipped the can contents out, liquid and all, over some hot rice. I was expecting to maybe see skin, but no. There are a lot of what look like grate marks, so apparently the skin had been removed before it was smoked. Or perhaps they're the result of some automated skin removal process.
As I worked my way through the bowl, the saltiness was becoming increasingly more noticeable, even though the package lists a reasonably low to moderate 180mg. The smoke, by contrast, continued to remain pleasant on the palate.
Don't get me wrong, the salt level wasn't terrible. But, if I were to put some kind of condiment on it, or use it in a dish, I'd have to make a conscious effort to minimize any additional salt. Otherwise, it would just blow away any flavor of the fish.
Final Thoughts
- Not the prettiest can of smoked fish, but the flavor quality is there
- Nice smoke level stays in its lane, lets the flavor of the fish show through
- A little spendy, but smoked trout at half the price is usually less than half the quality
$10 at Amazon was the best price available among my usual sources.
Brand: Fishwife
Description: Smoked rainbow trout
Species: Rainbow trout
Country of Origin: Denmark
Source: FAO N/S Farm raised
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.7 oz.
Price Range: $10-12
Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off sitewide.
Affiliate link, earns commissions
Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon
I picked up this Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon about four months ago, and never got around to trying it until now. In fact, I had forgotten I had it, and bought another can while it was on sale again at Whole Foods last week.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.
It's one of those stiff cans you have to battle to get the lid off without making a mess. It's a nice, solid chunk of tuna. The initial aroma is of a mild tuna, but nothing lemony coming through. A sip of the oil is similarly neutral, but with perhaps a hint of lemon. A nibble of fish straight from the can at first seems to just have that tuna tanginess. But then it kind of blooms toward citrus-y.
Prying the meat out of the can, there is no physical lemon to be found. The "lemon" in the ingredient list must be juice or some other form of lemon essence. One part of the meat, an area that was at the bottom of the can, had a bit of a discoloration to it. I wondered if it was the result of contact with whatever the source of the lemon flavor was.
As you can see, visually it just looks like a plain tuna. I dumped the entire liquid content of the can over the fish. I wanted to make sure I got the most of whatever lemon flavor there was to be had.
Getting more into it, though, with each bite it became more apparent the tanginess was from the lemon. I did find myself thinking, however, there wasn't anything overtly Spanish about it, and I might have just supplied my own good quality tuna and some lemon.
Once satisfied I had given it a thorough assessment on its own merits, I decided to experiment a bit. I had a new jar of S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil I wanted to try. As chili crisp type condiments go, it's a little saltier than most, and I did find it actually enhanced the lemon flavor of the tuna.
Final Thoughts
- As quality tuna goes, it has a good flavor that the lemon, however it's achieved, improves. Although it did make me consider just trying to replicate it with my own tuna and lemon.
- This would be a good choice for a salad topped with tuna.
- When on sale, it's a good value for a premium canned tuna.
Brand: Fishwife
Description: Albacore Tuna with Spanish lemon
Species: Albacore tuna
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $8
Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off sitewide.
Affiliate link, earns commissions
Fishwife Smoked Salmon with Sichuan Chili Crisp
I've been waiting for this Fishwife Smoked Salmon with Sichuan Chili Crisp to come back on sale again at Whole Foods. Last time, it was out of stock by the time I got there. This time, there was exactly one can on the shelf the second day of the sale period. At $15, it's probably one of, if not the most expensive cans of tinned fish you're likely to find on a shelf at a local store. Was it worth it, even at 30% off for Amazon Prime members? Let's find out.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
A fraction deducted for that empty space at the bottom that could have had more fish in it. Otherwise, the appearance and smoky aroma are enticing. A taste of a pinch of the fish is reminiscent of their Slow Smoked Mackerel. The meat is al dente, as one would expect of authentically smoked fish. I am also already making a mental comparison to the Wildfish Cannery Habanero Smoked Coho Salmon I had tried previously.
Diving In
The carton suggests serving over rice, so that's what I did. Dumped out, you can see some skin and all the goodies from the chili crisp.
If you're familiar with chili crisp, you'll know that Fly By Jing Chili Crisp, like this tinned salmon, is also one of the most expensive of its kind you're likely to find on a local store shelf. It's seen at around $10 to $14, typically, for a small 6 ounce jar.
As I worked my way through the bowl, I found myself dividing the fish into ever smaller pieces, trying to extend the premium experience out as long as possible. As with their slow smoked mackerel, there is a balance of sweet, salty, savory and heat. Except, this time, the heat is kicked up to the next level by the chili crisp. As I finished, I noted the slight numbness to the lips Sichuan peppercorn is known to cause.
Other Thoughts
One caveat. Although it doesn't seem that high, the sodium content is whopping 1050 mg. for the single serving can.
Regardless, this was really good. But I'm just going to have to wait for a sale to buy more. $15 for 3.2 ounces translates to $75 a pound for smoked salmon. In the meantime, I know I can come quite close to the experience with their smoked mackerel. It normally sells in the $9 range. Or the Wildfish Habanero Smoked Coho for $10. Unfortunately, Whole Foods doesn't stock either.
Brand: Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co.
Description: Smoked Salmon with Fly By Jing Chili Crisp
Species: Atlantic salmon
Country of Origin: Norway
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $15
Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off sitewide.
Affiliate link, earns commissions
Fishwife Slow Smoked Mackerel with Chili Flakes
I picked up this Fishwife Slow Smoked Mackerel on a recent run to World Market. Like many of you, I'm sure, I wonder if the quality of the contents lives up to the level of effort Fishwife puts into their packaging. Is it "all hat, no cattle", or was this mackerel worth $9 a can?
Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but the appearance and aroma had my full attention. A sip of the oil was a preview of coming attractions. Smoky, with a dark, complex sweetness, and a little heat on the back end. I wanted this out over rice, as the carton suggests, but took a little nibble off of a corner first. The texture was what I expected of a slow smoked fish, al dente, kind of like the bark on barbecued pork.
The carton lists a modest 220 calories (drained), but if I'm eating it over rice, I'm dumping the whole thing.
There were three pieces, skin on, one a bit larger and thicker than the others which looked more like from the tail end. A thin layer of fat under the skin improved the mouth feel.
The sweetness, the carton says, comes from demerara sugar, that from the first pressing of the sugar cane. Its molasses content adds a layer of complexity.
Altogether, we have sweet, salty, savory and a mild heat providing a winning combination. Was it worth the $9? I think so.
Main Takeaways
- Amazing aroma
- Tantalizing flavor profile
- Fatty skin adds a decadent element
Brand: Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co.
Description: Slow Smoked Mackerel with Chili Flakes
Species: Mackerel
Country of Origin: Scotland
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 3.7 oz.
Price Range: $9
Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off sitewide.
Affiliate link, earns commissions
Fishwife Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil
Dropped in to Whole Foods and found this Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil and other Fishwife products on sale for 20% off for Amazon Prime members, so I took a chance. Premium tuna has been last on my list. One, for the price compared to regular canned tuna. (How much better can it be?) And for two, what am I going to do, make tuna salad with an $8 can of fish? No, it has to be magnificent on its own, would you not think?
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
Man, that's some pretty looking fish, and it's packed in there tight. Solid albacore tuna with no slosh, no headroom. No skin, and no mystery bits. Glistening olive oil tinged red with paprika and cayenne. I tasted a little of the oil on its own, and it packs some serious afterburner heat. Not like in-your-face jalapeno hot, just more like what you'd expect from the combination of hot paprika, cayenne and white pepper. I wasn't really getting any of the garlic, though.
Having tasted fresh-caught tuna and mackerel from the Gulf, I was hoping to come closer that experience than regular canned tuna. But I don't know, it just didn't blow my hair back. I found it a tad dry and maybe a bit metallic (for lack of a better word). Perhaps that's just the nature of the beast. But definitely not what I was expecting from premium albacore. I also bought a can of albacore with the preserved lemon, so I'll have to compare to that at some point to make a final call.
Main Takeaways
- Nice looking, solid tuna
- A little on the dry side
- Will try another can to compare
Brand: Fishwife
Description: Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil
Species: Albacore tuna
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $8