The Canned Ingredient José Andrés Brings To Holiday Parties

The ins and outs of attending a holiday party can sometimes be a bit stressful. Should you bring a gift for the hosts or something to share with the other guests? And, if so, what? Food? Alcohol? While a bottle of wine is often the go-to here, chef and humanitarian José Andrés goes a different route — a really different route. "The perfect thing to bring to a holiday party? A few tins of sardines ... even better if you bring some bread and good butter," the Michelin-starred chef wrote on Instagram. He makes no bones about his love of seafood, even believing that more people should use fish skin — which he considers to be one of the best elements of the protein.

Andrés suggests toasting the bread, spreading butter over it, and topping it with a sardine. Even if you're not totally buying into the growing trendiness of canned fish, the way in which Andrés describes this simple dish may make a true believer out of you. "You bring this to your mouth and the crunchiness of the toasted bread, with the creaminess, fattiness of the sardines ... Oh my God, they are so good you wish you were inside the can with them," he said on his "Longer Tables with José Andrés" podcast (via Instagram).

According to José Andrés, canned sardines aren't just a great treat to bring to holiday parties — they are a food that can change the world. "These tiny, beautiful, and totally under-appreciated fish have a lot of power," he wrote on Substack. "They are sustainable. They are full of healthy omega-3s. And most important they are delicious." He loves them so much he even has his own José Andrés brand of tinned sardines. Not surprisingly, he recommends Spanish sardines, which he believes are the best since they're small, flavorful, and packed by hand.

Andrés' holiday party gift suggestion may seem spartan, but he's not alone in preferring the simplicity of tinned sardines. The proper way to eat sardines, according to Gareth Maccubbin, founder of New York City bar Maiden Lane, involves enjoying sardines either on bread, crostini, or straight from the tin. Even if you forgo bringing them to a party, you can pick up a few tins for yourself and explore snack ideas for canned sardines; from topping pizzas to turning them into a smoky pâté. But if you do find yourself wondering what to bring to your next party, it can't hurt to try Andrés' idea.