Forget tins of tuna, wrapped in coloured plastic, that only come in multipacks. The best tinned fish has had a makeover. Well, actually we're catching up with Europe, which has been doing it for decades, where the tins are known as conservas. It's not about convenience and mass production, but artisanal production and celebrating quality produce. Some canneries, such as the instantly recognisable Ortiz, have a 130-year proud history, and are now in their fifth family generation.
Like magpies, we're drawn to these attractive tins (recently, particularly through social media) that have really helped propel tinned fish back into our shopping bags and onto our plates. But that doesn't mean what's inside isn't as good as its exterior suggests. These are premium fish, preserved in varying types of oil, depending on the fish, which ranges from salty anchovies from Spain to British caught mackerel.
