If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you may have noticed colourful little tins of fish are having a moment. People are treating them like collectibles, sharing recipes and snack boards, and giving the humble sardine its moment in the sun.
Creators like Daywithmei on TikTok and Fish Files on YouTube have definitely helped fuel the trend, but there’s more to it than that. It’s obvious why: life is busy and tinned fish is easy. It’s already cooked, ready whenever you need it and makes whatever’s in your fridge feel fancier. And in Edmonton, no one has noticed the trend more than Cavern on 104th Street.
The wine bar and market has one of the city’s largest selections of quality tinned fish — something co-owner Cecilia Groblicka began stocking during the pandemic. “It was the perfect time because it’s a non-perishable, shelf-stable item that transports really well and I feel it fits with the rest of what we do at Cavern,” she says. Since then, she’s seen interest in tins explode.
Groblicka also attributes the trend to how people are eating and entertaining differently. With less drinking and more nights in, opening a good tin of fish can feel like a little treat, especially if they’re wild-caught off the coast of Portugal and packed in a premium olive oil.
“It’s kind of (an) accessible luxury,” says Groblicka. “People see value in high-quality artisan products that maybe come in at a slightly higher price point, but rather than going out to dinner and spending a couple hundred dollars, you’re buying these things that are a little special, a little unusual.”
So if you’re hosting a few friends or just throwing something together for yourself, we asked Groblicka to walk us through three of her favourite tins — and how to serve them up right.
Sardines are a crowd-pleaser and one of the easiest entry points into the world of tinned fish. Groblicka recommends starting with small sardines packed in good-quality olive oil or sometimes with a little something extra, like a whole pepper tossed in for flavour.
Food pairings: Keep it simple with crusty bread to soak up the olive oil, and add something pickled or punchy on the side. Groblicka loves piparras (mild, pickled Basque peppers), jalapeno slices, sweet piquillo peppers, or a nice pepper spread.
Drink pairing: A Spanish red vermouth is her sardine go-to — either served over ice or mixed into a marionito (vermouth, gin, and Campari, garnished with an olive).
Briny and bold, mussels are a favourite for good reason. Groblicka loves mussel varieties packed in escabeche — a spiced and vinegary sauce that has a bright, slightly pickled flavour. Cavern also stocks Scandinavian tins that bring a little smokiness and herbaceous notes from ingredients like heather and chamomile.
Food pairings: For Spanish-style tins, potato chips make the perfect vehicle topped with a mussel and add a dash of hot sauce or a pickled pepper. The Scandinavian versions are a bit more delicate, and pair nicely with cream cheese, rye bread, fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon.
Drink pairing: A crisp, summery beer or an easy-drinking white — something light enough to balance out the acidity and spice.
Notoriously tricky to cook, octopus is a stand-out choice for Groblicka when it comes in a can. Whether you’re snacking straight from the tin or cooking with it, you really can’t go wrong. Just look for the ones packed in high-quality olive oil (you won’t want to waste it either).
Food pairings: Try it on potato chips with a hit of hot sauce, or stir it into pasta or risotto using the oil from the tin for extra flavour. It’s also great with roasted potatoes or in a warm potato salad, especially when served with an aioli made by emulsifying the olive oil from the tin.
Drink pairing: Something bright and bubbly like cava or crémant to cut through the richness and complement the seafood.
