Ortiz Bonita del Norte
So. We tried a high-quality Spanish tuna the other day – Ortiz Bonita del Norte. We picked it up from Simon Johnson and it is waaaayyyyy pricier than normal canned tuna. However it has placed first in a couple of different tastings and is apparently some of the best tuna available so we had to try it.
Now, I love to eat canned tuna anyway but I also value the health benefits that the omega 3 fatty acids provide. However, whilst googling up on the Ortiz brand of tuna, I came across an article which mentions that commercial canners cook the whole fish first (before skinning, boning and pressure cooking in the can), then they sell the oil that is drained from the fish, which contains most of the flavours and omega 3 fatty acids, separately. Well, that has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm for comsuming canned tuna!
Anyway, back to the Ortiz tuna. The first thing we noticed upon opening the jar were the huge chunks of snowy white tuna. I ended up placing the tuna on a very simple salad of lettuce, spanish onions and tomato dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. We also opened a can of Greenseas tuna in spring water in order to compare the taste. The verdict? The Ortiz tuna is served in much larger pieces, appears whiter and does not taste as fishy. Assuming that it is cooked only once in the jar (and I’m not sure whether it is), then it may also be healthier.
December 11th, 2005 at 11:28 pm
I heard the same thing about tuna.. BASTARDS!
Glad the tuna was nice, I keep eyeing off….
December 12th, 2005 at 12:03 pm
Hey Cin, saw the Ortiz brand of anchovies at Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder for about twenty bucks a small tin; you know, the lid that peels back type. I want to try them but they are sooo expensive. Also you didn’t say if you really liked the Ortiz brand, just that it was better than Greenseas. Come on now, no sitting on the fence.
December 17th, 2005 at 1:40 am
Clare: Maybe more fresh tuna instead from now on.
Tankeduptaco: Thanks for dropping by. It’s great to see yet another Melbourne blogger. I like the Ortiz tuna just fine, but don’t know if it’s worth the price! It would look great if you are having friends over for meal and plan on serving a tuna salad.
August 26th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
as a connoisseur of gourmet foods, i highly recommend ortiz tuna and anchovies. they are simply the best canned variety you can find in australia. i also believe simon johnson sell them the cheapest (probably because they are the supplier). plus, the canned/box artwork is adorable!
May 19th, 2010 at 2:57 am
I am just concerned about the main source of Omega 3 which is the liver of fish. as you can see, fishes can accumulate mercury and pcb. *”,
September 13th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
olive oil is a great additive on foods since it has low saturated fat~’”