Fishwife founder Becca Millstein and recipe developer Vilda Gonzalez have done what many would consider impossible—they made tinned fish cool. And lucrative: When Millstein presented her idea on Shark Tank in 2023 she disclosed that Fishwife earned $750,000 in 2021 and $2.6 million the following year. It was on track to make $5.8 million in 2023. With The Fishwife Cookbook: Delightful Tinned Fish Recipes for Every Occasion, Millstein and Gonzalez give you all the tools to make tinned fish into more than just girl-dinner staples. We’re talking recipes for meals like smoked salmon and caramelized shallot pasta with creme fraiche and kale that wouldn’t be out of place at a fine dining establishment, or a spiced mackerel paté with grilled bread that will be the standout at any cocktail party or family potluck. And because all the recipes include tinned fish as their star ingredient, they’re deceptively easy to pull off. The book is divided into slightly offbeat categories that acknowledge the nuances of contemporary life: A section called In Front of the Fireplace, for example, is full of warming congees and healing chowders, perfect for the time of year Millstein and Gonzalez have dubbed “Cozy Tinned Fish Season.” Aside from the wide assortment of tinned fish—seriously, you can get everything from slow-smoked mackerel with chili flakes to Cantabrian anchovies in extra virgin olive oil—the MVP of Fishwife is clearly illustrator Danny Miller, who creates Fishwife’s playful packaging imagery and decks out the volume with his signature vibrant cartoons.
