Keep tinned and frozen seafood on hand, then you are always ready for a gourmet meal.

One of the habits that endures from our time in France is how we shop for groceries. We plan meals for the next few days and shop accordingly, we have never liked COSTCO all that much due to the large size of packaging, etc. (It’s OK to explain that I have it all wrong, I know COSTCO, I sold canned goods to them when their entire corporate office was a converted house in Kirkland, Washington.) We do however have a bit of a pantry here, canned beans, pastas, etc.

One thing we always have is tinned seafood and frozen seafood. And yes I do know fresh is good, I consulted in the Alaska fishing industry for many years. Yet there are some advantages to tinned and frozen, a key one is easy availability and storage. Here is a representation of what we have on hand at the moment.

Thanks to this kind of provisions, we are always able to put together a pretty gourmet meal at any time. Yesterday being a prime example. We didn’t have anything planned so the Trader Joe’s Seafood blend came to the rescue. In about 30 minutes I made seafood St. Jacques with baked basmati rice. I used milk instead of cream, but it worked out just fine.

In the US people often take a dismissive posture toward canned fish – “canned sardines.” As if they are second grade in quality, which is not true. During my food industry days we imported canned seafood so I know the quality standards are not low.

In Europe canned seafood is a delicacy. There are shops that sell only canned fish. This is one of the chains, yes chains, I think they have over five locations in Paris alone, and many others throughout France.

Tinned fish have so many possibilities, the websites for most of the packers are full of recipes. Try some varieties other than sardines, smoked oysters, etc. Patagonia has a line of tinned fish that is amazing. Their white anchovies, not even similar to the salty ones I love on pizza, are amazing right out of the can.

So, expand your tastes, you might be surprised, and always ready to make something wonderful.