Good things come in cans
Tinned food has gotten a bad rap. Fish, soup, tomatoes, you name it: nearly every food that has been put in a can for sale has suffered indignation. Tinned food is treated as less refined, less worthy. It’s seen as convenience food that should be cheap and never moderately – let alone expensively – price. Its sister foods, sold in tall glass bottles, thick jars, or fresh – the ultimate status symbol in America’s food chain – are seen as better. Think about olive oil in a sleek bottle versus a tin. Or think about a fresh tomato versus canned. It’s no contest; fresh is always better, right? No. Here are three reasons why.
1. Sometimes tinned beats fresh
When tomatoes are in season they are unequaled, one of the finest foods on the planet. When they are out of season they are a completely different species and often borderline inedible. That’s why ten months of the year tinned tomatoes – especially organically grown tomatoes from Northern California – canned at their seasonal peak beat anything you can buy fresh.
2. Tinned can be different – in a good way
If I had to pick tinned or fresh grilled tuna for a decade-long, I’m-so-stranded, desert island picnic, I’d choose tinned. Sound crazy? I don’t think so. Tinned tuna from Ortiz, bathed in olive oil, is more complex than fresh tuna. It’s got more going on flavor-wise and you can use it in more ways. Assuming the fish and process are top notch, tinned fish are different than fresh – in a good way.
3. Cans are often a better material
Storing food in tins versus less weight to ship and no light damage. It’s a win for cost, for the environment, and for the food’s flavor.