Rockfish with Garlic and Sumac, Wildfish Cannery, Alaska

Mild and flaky, with a hint of sumac which adds depth and brightness of flavor. The rockfish is topped off with Spanish EVOO (a 50/50 Picual and Arbequina blend). 

Source: Southeast Alaska

Harvest: Long Line (Hook & Line)

Size: 3.88oz

This month’s tin brings back one of my elevated favorites: Wildfish Cannery, one of the last family-run canneries left standing in the U.S.. Tucked away in the tiny Alaskan town of Klawock on Prince of Wales Island, Wildfish started in 1987 when Phyllis Meuller, the local school bookkeeper, decided the town’s fishermen deserved better custom packing. Fast forward a few decades, and her grandson, Chef Mathew Scaletta—armed with fine-dining chops from Portland—is running the show, turning the pristine seafood of Southeast Alaska into tiny tinned treasures. This tin features Alaskan Rockfish, a cold-water beauty with sweet, flaky flesh and a firm texture that blows its southern cousins out of the water (pun intended). It’s gently seasoned with sumac—a dried berry that brings subtle citrusy warmth—and just a whisper of garlic, all layered under a luxurious pour of high-quality Spanish olive oil (a 50/50 blend of Picual and Arbequina, if you’re curious). There’s even a little kick on the finish, just enough to keep things interesting.
The fish is line-caught, processed entirely by hand, and absolutely sings right out of the can with fresh bread. Or, dress it up with some extra pickled veggies, buttery crackers and call it a day. What to drink? Pair it with a crisp, dry bubbly like Jo Landron's 'Atmosphères' Brut from the Loire Valley—conveniently pouring by the glass right now at DECANTsf!