Diplomats Trout Fillet with Chilli

Products from Diplomats, produced in Latvia, aren’t—to the best of my knowledge—on store shelves in the States, where I eat most of my food. I sourced these from the UK, which made this can kinda pricy, $9.00. On the other hand, new and unexplored lands are always worth taking a flier, right? Plus it’s a member of the fairly small club of trout in extra virgin olive oil, so. And a big honking chilli promised, c’mon.

Anyway, it’s fine. I had lunch. I’m not hungry now.
The trout is very mild. I couldn’t taste chilli. Diplomats doesn’t claim these fillets to be smoked, and no smoke can be sensed, unsurprisingly. Only the tiniest amount of salt. The skin is on the fillets, but it’s been relatively beat up in all three times I’ve opened in recent days. Again, all fine, unremarkable.

How do they compare to Cole’s, I hear some of you asking. Not terribly well. At least for Americans, these are gonna cost you double, and you can’t just grab them at the store. More important, though, is the fish itself, and the Cole’s fillet is firmer and tastier, in my opinion. Is it apples-n-oranges to put this unsmoked and chilli-displaying tin against, say, Cole’s basic smoked trout? I think so. For one thing, no chilli. For a second, the Cole’s trout are, let’s face it, only super-lightly smoked. Anyway, it’s more down to texture here, and Cole’s wins. (And best I know Appel makes the Cole’s trout, so reach for those cans, Fishy Friends in Europe.)