Planning a Party with a Unusual Theme -- What's Your Favorite Canned Food?

Question

Hi All --
 
I'm planning a party with an unusual theme -- sort of a Mad Max post-apocalypse idea. Drinks were the easy part -- we're going to feature midori melon balls and other "neon" cocktails (and call them "Rocket Fuel," "Nuclear Waste," etc. ;-), but I'm kind of stumped for food. What I'm thinking about is having everything be canned -- however, it still has to taste GOOD! The LA Times did a story a few weeks ago about delicious canned tapas that are imported from Spain, so I may go with something like that, but am otherwise really short on ideas! What are your favorite gourmet canned food items and how do you serve them? Or, if you have any other thoughts that would work with the theme, I'd love to hear them.
 
Thanks!

Answer

A can of belugia.

Answer

Appetizer thingies on toast points / crackers smeared w/ an herbed white bean paste made from a can, or hummus made w/ canned garbanzos. Top these w/: smoked oysters, mussels, baby clams etc or fresh vinegar-packed anchovies, canned hearts of palm, olives. How about piquillo peppers stuffed with, say, Boursin cheese, or canned brie?
 
Pigs in a blanket made w/ canned Vienna sausages and Pillsbury crescent rolls in the exploding cardboard tubes.
 
Spam musubi?

Answer

baked beans

Answer

My favorite canned foods are Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Chef Boyardee's Overstuffed ravioli, Progresso and Campbell soups, Corn beef hash, Sardines, and del Monte Fresh select corn.
 
I've had tamales from the can also - but not my fave.
 
You can also get brown bread in a can too.

Answer

Tins of smoked oysters & mussels w/fresh-squeezed lemon juice & a dash of hot sauce!

Answer

Not gourmet, but what about Hobo Stew. 
 
In this example, Hobo Stew is a potluck using canned foods. I used to make these when I worked for Parks and Recreation. I would start out the stew with some cooked ground beef, and Dinty Moore Beef Stew. Each camper was asked to bring a suitable contribution such as canned vegetables or canned stew or canned soup, even canned chili with and without beans. 
 
Clean and remove any sharp edges from the now empty cans and use them to serve the stew.

Answer

From-a-jar antipasti is very doable: olives, roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, canned sardines and shellfish. Just have some lemon wedges and red wine vinegar on the table to make it palatable enough for your foodie friends. Canned baked beans and brown bread works. Is there something better for dessert than canned fruit? There must be. Try shopping in Asian and Latin American markets, too. Lots of canned goods not on your average supermarket's shelves.

Answer

Dave's Albacore canned albacore in olive oil or in its own juices or canned local Santa Cruz wild salmon (the Pacific king salmon is excellent, too) -- absolutely delicious!!
 
Here's a link:

Link: http://www.davesalbacore.com

Answer

Caviar.g

Answer

Go to an Indian grocery and get canned Patra. all you do is pull it out of the can, slice it (similar to the way you would slice that brown bread), saute the slices in just a little olive oil until brown and a bit crispy (turn once), and serve (best with cilantro and chutney, so if you can find canned chutney more power to you :-))
 
Your guests won't even believe it came from a can..... This, seriously, is one of my favorite party appetizers (and one of the easiest also!)
 
have fun!

Answer

Make a salad with:
 
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can whole corn
1 jar salsa (your choice)
 
I add onions & celery to this.

Answer

How 'bout those Durkee canned French fried Onion thingies that people top casseroles with. In my house, we used to just throw 'em in the toaster oven and eat them plain. 
 
Then again, there's always bean dip, burritos, etc using Old El Paso canned Refried Beans.

Answer

There's a chapter in Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser on this subject-- putting meals together from tapas-style jarred foods-- the book was published about a year ago, the original NYT column version of the chapter about 6 months before that. Maybe your local library has a copy.

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Planning a Party with a Unusual Theme -- What's Your Favorite Canned Food?

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