There is nothing more exciting in this world than when you can try a completely new species. I received a box of Ati Manel brand garfish in spiced olive oil for Christmas and now it’s time to break it out. If you’ve dived into the canned fish craze, you’ve probably seen these artfully crafted cans of sardines, tuna, shellfish, and other products. pizzas…better known as garfish in English.
What are Garfish?
There are three species of garfish within the genus Belone which are also known as garfish. They are very distinctive looking fish, with a long, thin body and a long needle-like mouth, hence the name. In Portuguese they are known as pizzas OR pipefish. Americans may find the name confusing since there is an unrelated family of fish known as gars that are a popular sport fish.
Garfish used as food are not targeted, as they constitute by-catch in the European mackerel fishery. They follow a similar migratory pattern and are often caught alongside mackerel. Garfish could be considered an underutilized species as there is no large market for these otherwise good and seemingly abundant fish. The problem may have to do with their bones: Garfish bones contain a harmless chemical that turns them green.
About Ati Manel
The company that preserved my garfish is the rebirth of the original Ati Manel, an old and popular Portuguese canning company. The artist/designer Luís Mendonça is the great-grandson of Ati Manel, but he was sixty years too late to experience his family’s legacy. The original company went out of business in the 1950s, but the family kept the vintage marketing and design materials. Mr. Mendonça was inspired to resurrect both classic designs but also his family’s commitment to quality canned fish.
The modern company is a creation of Luís Mendonça and Adriano Ribeiro, who also created the famous Jose Gourmet Cannery, also in Portugal. They definitely fooled me, I thought this was a long established Portuguese cannery, not canned fish, rock stars. Their website talks about the importance of bringing back what made the original company and its products so popular. A lot of it has to do with the close relationships needed between harvester and producer.
This is actually my second Ati Manel box to try as I recently tried their small scallops in Caldeirada sauce. I thought they were pretty good, but I should have heated the pan to get the most flavor out of the sauce. It was a late night snack, so I’ll have to get another box to properly examine it, but first impressions are good.
The packaging and the product
These days we expect fantastic artwork on imported cans preserves and Ati Manel delivers. The artwork on each box is based on Ati Manel’s vintage European advertising from the mid 20th century. They have that timeless aesthetic that reminds me of old ocean liner posters or classic Italian coffee advertisements. In real life I’m a Maritime historianI’m not an art historian, so I’m not sure if box art falls under Art Deco or Mid-Century Modern, but I know what I like.
Inside the box itself were the thin, silver garfish, nicely packaged in a tangy-looking olive oil. The fish itself was in good condition and not too thick. I noticed that the garfish are very firm, but also delicate. It’s easy to ruin the leather if they’re handled too much, but they won’t fall apart into mush.
I tasted a garfish on its own and it was somewhere between an anchovy and a sardine, but probably more on the anchovy side. They are firm, lean and salty, with a better mouthfeel than a sardine. I wasn’t sure if I liked them at first taste but, just like anchovies, I kept coming back for another bite “just to be sure”. It’s probably the salty factor combined with the spicy oil, but I found the taste quite addictive and could have easily eaten the can right there.
I put some pieces of garfish Wasa gluten-free crispbread, which I also find addictive, along with some slices of banana and bell pepper. It was quite tasty and much better than my attempt to pair the fish with a piece of salami. The best version, however, was undoubtedly to eat them out of the box with a fork together with half a soft roll to dip in oil. It was extraordinarily delicious and a potential crowd-pleasing appetizer.
The verdict on Ati Manel’s canned garfish
It was a fun adventure and definitely one of my favorite canned fish experiences so far. If you like anchovies, especially if you find yourself eating them as a snack, garfish are for you. If you prefer sardines, but are looking to diversify, these canned garfish in spiced oil are different enough to be fun. I don’t like sardines, but I really like these garfish and can’t wait to try more from Ati Manel.
