Tinned fish – sardines, anchovies, mackerel and the like, all packed in oil – have swum their way upstream to become, improbably, the darling of online food culture. They've even been dubbed "hot girl food," epitomising a certain strain of gastronomical insouciance along with the kind photogenic spectacle that social media loves.
The latest wave for these briny sea creatures is the phenomenon, popular on TikTok, of "tinned fish date night", which is exactly what it sounds like: You and your partner crack open a few tins (bonus points if you place them on a camera-ready rustic wooden board), surround them with a few accoutrements and then dig in, layering your goodies on bits of crusty bread or crackers.
Ali Hooke, the San Francisco chef who kicked off the trend last summer, says she was surprised that her first videos documenting the impromptu meal she and her husband shared took off so wildly, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes – along with plenty of copycats inspired by their feasts. "I don't have a clue why it's working, but it's fun," she says.
Hooke thinks part of the appeal is that it's accessible; no matter how unskilled they are in the kitchen, anyone can open a can. And she thinks people enjoy meals that are an experience: On tinned fish date nights, you're combining an assortment of foods into little bites, and part of the fun, she says, is finding the pairings you like best. "It's like going bowling or something," she says. "With fish."
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