SHELF LIFE

7 Seas Wild Albacore Tuna 113 g, $5 available at Costco, Loblaws, Safeway and other major and independent seafood retailers; see 7seas.ca

In the vast ocean of tuna recipes — really, we’re talking tuna sandwiches — Shelf Life has seen it all: breads, wraps and doughs of every kind; fancy, exotic and plain oils, mayos, and yogurts; and add-ins ranging from the nostalgic (chopped dill pickle) to the irresistibly whack (tried mango chutney on toast topped with tuna salad yet?). But it’s only lately that lunch enthusiasts have been invited to sample the real nature of the beast. Enter Vancouver-based 7 Seas, offering a welcome development — tuna unplugged. Ready to eat and packaged in a pouch (this allows a single cook, not twice in the case of tins), the Albacore is pole-caught in the cool temperatures of the Pacific Northwest, which produce high levels of fatty Omega 6. One pouch contains roughly the same amount as a standard can, and the tuna is lightly salted and packed in organic olive oil (mysteriously, however, the product does contain a small amount of trans fats). It’s all impeccably sourced; as the friendly website notes, 7Seas products are certified by three major marine watchdog organizations. So far so good, but where’s the beef? In fact, this fish is a revelation. Tender and moist, with real dimension and personality, this is tuna without tears. It has all the go-anywhere, do-anything versatility of conventional Charlie, without tasting like cardboard and harming the waters. Shelf Life could even forgo the mayo and enjoy it naked. All in all, it’s our favourite fish story of the summer.

(Why the demerit? Ideally, concerns about trans fats would be addressed online or on the package.) A. Brouwer & A. Wilson, Weekend Post