Canned

Recently, a colleague of mine leaned in toward me and stated in hushed tones, "Sometimes I just need to open up a can of peas and eat them. I know fresh is supposed to be best, but the taste of those mushy pale peas is so comforting." I followed up with a confession of my own. I am on a canned bean binge, french style with a little added butter. Insipid deliciousness.

Somewhere along the way, the whole farm-to-table movement has convinced us that nutrition and sophistication can only happen with fresh veggies and fruits and grass fed, free-range, happy livestock. Charles Birdseye and Nicolas Appert would roll over in their graves if they heard such chatter. Both scientists were pioneers in staving off hunger and starvation with the inventions of freezing fresh foods and the canning preservation method. Most of us would not be here today if our ancestors did not have access to such technology. Scurvy, be damned.

With full abandonment of the fear of public shame, here are a few more of my canned delights.

1) Sardines--Slippery little fish, eyes and bones included, what's not to love? I am a little picky on brand and brine. I prefer good old Chicken-of-the-Sea, slightly smoked, packed in oil. Scoop the little fishies onto a saltine and you have a tasty morsel of goodness.  Full disclosure: Chicken-of-the-Sea does not know I exist, therefore, no monies will fill my coffers for mentioning their name.

2) Cream-of-Whatever-Soup--Sorry, Martha Stewart, cream soups are pure midwestern magic in the land of casseroles. I can spend the extra time creating my own bechamel or beurre blanc sauces, but hot dishes cry out for something with a hearty soul. Add a can of creamed goodness to a meat, vegetable and noodle of your choice and you have dinner in a flash.

3) Spaghetti sauce--I am not Italian so my palette is a little weak in this department. My attempts at transforming a burbling, sputtering pot of tomatoes into a delicious sauce have been epic fails. In addition, I don't have the patience for long term pot simmering, stirring and sipping. Canned sauce dresses up my pasta just fine.

4) Canned peaches--We have about a ten-day window for good fresh peaches in the upper midwest. The other 355 days demand a little flexibility. My mother's canned peaches were the best, of course, but there should be no derision for enjoying a can of Del Monte sliced peaches. Add some crumbled topping for a delicious crisp or just slurp them straight out of the can. Fresh, no. Tasty, yes.

5) Pork and Beans--Dried beans scare me. Do I soak them overnight? Do I try a quick soak? Do I add baking soda to cut down on possible flatulence? How long should they cook before they turn into mush? Enter, a can of pork and beans. Pop the top. Fish out the flaccid piece of pseudo bacon. Add a few ingredients to spice them up. Heat. Serve. No more questions.

I hope you are able to enjoy a can of something this week. Your secret is safe with me.