When did canned fish, other than tuna fish, become chic?

As a kid I loved canned sardines. Not the ones canned in tomato sauce (ick), the basic sardines canned in olive oil.  But I never, ever, brought them to school for lunch. The most notable reason was, probably, the smell. But I also was afraid that the other kids would make fun of me for liking sardines. So, I ate them at home in private.

Recently, on Shark Tank, they featured a brand of artisan canned fish. The brand included canned sardines, trout, salmon etc. I quickly purchased a variety pack. They were all delicious and so far surpassed our canned tuna fish

When I shyly mentioned my purchase to my kids-who are my barometers of all things cool-they told me that they buy similar canned fish at Trader Joe’s. In fact, my daughter told me that she has been buying canned mussels at Trader Joes for years. Guess what I purchased on my next trip to Trader Joe’s?

Next week we are taking a trip to Portugal. Apparently, one of the top souvenirs to purchase in Portugal is canned sardines. I plan to buy several tins proudly and perhaps even give a few to my children as gifts.

Do you have a secret food passion?