Scout Mussels (Smoked Paprika, Fennel & Tomato Sauce)

Strength in Flavour!

Originally Published: Thursday, December 29, 2022

That’s a nice lookin’ box

The Packaging

Scout Canning is a company based out of Toronto that advertises themselves as a craft cannery. They offer a line of products with lesser seen flavour combinations, as well as eye-catching packaging and gift-ready aesthetics. Today’s selection is their PEI Mussels in a Smoked Paprika and Fennel Tomato Sauce. Mussels are a less common ingredient when it comes to canned goods, especially compared to their bivalve cousins: clams and oysters. It’s good to see a craft-oriented producer feature some of the lesser appreciated ingredients in their line-up.

There is no doubt presentation is top-notch on this product. The box features stunningly printed artwork and typography on a sturdy card stock that protects the tin within. The inside of the box lid features some recipes and serving suggestions. This product is definitely designed with gifting in mind.

Fully designed, inside and out

The careful considerations on aesthetics are reflected in the price, as I paid $10 CAD for this 100g can of mussels. To put that into perspective, a pound of fresh mussels costs anywhere between $3-$8 CAD at my local fishmonger, depending on the species. Granted, these mussels are shelled for easy consumption, and about half of a mussel’s weight is shell. A pound of fresh mussels will likely only yield about 200g of mussel meat. On the other hand, some of the mass of the can is comprised of the paprika/fennel/tomato sauce that preserves the mussels as opposed to the mussels themselves. Speaking of which…

The Sauce

It’s pretty darn good. The sauce is reminiscent of a bouillabaisse. The paprika provides a hint of smoke with almost no spiciness at first. The pungent liquorice and citrus notes from the fennel periodically tag in as the dominant flavour before retreating into the background, surrendering to the sweet and tangy tomato sauce.

The sauce is loaded with umami from both the mussels’ essences and the tomatoes’ own abundance of naturally occurring MSG. As the carnival of flavour subsides, a subtle heat from the paprika lingers with the briny taste of the sea, slowly dissolving over several minutes. This is a sauce that you should scoop out of the tin with some bread, or if you like, drink with a straw.

Buttered toast squares to soak up that sauce!

As a lover of fennel, I wish it was more prominent at times, but this is purely avarice for liquorice. If there is one thing that I found to be slightly lacking with the sauce, it is the acidity. If more of the tomatoes’ natural acid is preserved, or if there is another component that can provide a bit of acidity, this would be a perfect sauce. A little bit of extra acidity would help to uplift all the ingredients and spotlight the protagonist: the mussels. Speaking of which…

The Mussels

Ok, if you’ve ever had canned fish before you know that the texture can change quite dramatically from the fresh ingredient. I am eternally thankful that canners are constantly coming up with new methods that help to preserve the taste and texture of ingredients. All that said, the texture of these mussels is… fine. It’s not great but it’s not terrible. It’s a bit mushier than a fresh mussel, which have a characteristic chewiness to the flesh. Most canned foods lose texture so there was no expectation that the mussels would not. What does stand out is the flavour.

Mussels have a briny, seafoam-y quality to their flavour that lovers of seafood latch on to. Sometimes referred to colloquially as fishy, this flavour is present in almost all seafood but more noticeable in certain species. I live for this flavour (and thus the birth of the blog), but some are adverse to it. These mussels are full of fish, and the more I chew on the mussel the more flavour compounds are released and mix in my mouth. It’s like eating a shipwreck; the light smoke and pleasant bitterness from the paprika and iron develops into an oceanic musk that mingles with the sauce and lingers on the palate for quite some time. Take a swig of a fruity red (a Malbec, perhaps) and enjoy the whole package.

Last morsel of mussel

PEI mussels are generally a bit smaller than New Zealand or Saltspring mussels, so if you care to share with your friends there are lots to go around in each can. If you prefer hogging the whole tin that’s fine too.

Rating

Overall, this is a meticulously produced offering from Scout. It’s on the pricey side, but definitely worth checking out if you like premium canned goods. It won’t be a regular product in my rotation due to the price, but I’ll likely splash out for it when hosting. It’s also a great choice for gifting to someone who enjoys interesting food experiences.

No value stars because of the high price, but I still highly recommend trying this product out if you have the cash weighing down your pocket.