Tinned Fish Club for May: Ramirez Lulas de Caldeirada, Cabo de Peñas Filetes de Caballa del Sur, Old Riga Smoked Sprats Pâté
Ramirez Lulas de Caldeirada
For more than 170 years and five generations, this legendary Portuguese producer has preserved the flavors of the Atlantic through wars, monarchies, economic upheavals, and the changing tides of the seafood industry. While Ramirez owns and produces many export brands (including several we’ve featured before), this tin carries the family name front and center.
Squid has long been a staple of Iberian canning traditions, prized for its tender texture and ability to absorb bold flavors. These lulas (small squid) are packed in a caldeirada-style sauce, where tomato, olive oil, garlic, and spices come together in a deeply comforting preparation inspired by Portugal’s coastal cooking traditions.
Old Riga Smoked Sprats Pâté
In Latvia, smoked sprats are more than a snack. They’re a national tradition. Old Riga is produced by Gamma-A, a longtime Baltic seafood company known for naturally smoking sprats over alder wood, giving the fish their signature golden color and smoky flavor. Their process moves quickly: fish caught in the morning can be smoked and packed the very same day.
Popular throughout the Baltics for generations, smoked sprat pâtés are a staple of taverns, train rides, and late-night kitchen tables. With its vintage Riga skyline and old-world design, this tin feels like a little piece of Baltic seafood history. Creamy, savory, and deeply smoky, this pâté pairs perfectly with pretzels and dark beer.
Cabo de Peñas Filetes de Caballa del Sur
Founded in 1898 on Spain’s northern coast, Cabo de Peñas has spent more than a century preserving the seafood traditions of the Iberian Atlantic. Their seafood is processed close to harvest and packed using traditional methods that preserve freshness, texture, and flavor from sea to tin. These filetes de caballa del sur feature Atlantic chub mackerel, prized for its rich flavor and meaty texture.
Packed simply in olive oil, the fish develops a buttery, savory character that has made mackerel a favorite among conservas enthusiasts. While sardines often steal the spotlight, seasoned tinned fish fans know caballa is one of the true stars of the pantry.
Pretzelized™ Sea Salt Pretzel Snackers
Celebrating America's 250th, these unique bite-sized snacks nare the perfect complement to any tinned fish. Pretzelized™ takes traditional snacks like crackers and pita chips, soaks them in pretzel brine, then oven-bakes them for a unique, crispy salty crunch.
We love them with tinned fish dips topped them with tinned fish pâté. The star-shaped version shared here is a great addition to summer cookouts celebrating American Independence.
Tinned Fish Club for May: Ramirez Lulas de Caldeirada, Cabo de Peñas Filetes de Caballa del Sur, Old Riga Smoked Sprats Pâté
Tinned Fish Club for April: Porthos Spiced Sardines, Olasagasti Anchovies, Ati Manel Mackerel Pate
