When I first mentioned the Hotcan concept to a few of the Anglers’ Net regulars, it was met with extreme caution. Fishermen, it would appear, have long memories and some remembered a similar product from about fifteen years ago! They remember luke warm food at times when they craved hot nourishment! It was with low expectations, then, that I attempted my first Hotcan meal.
Preparing your meal is simplicity in the extreme – open the lid and place it on the bottom of the can, pull back the ring pull, take the spike provided and shove it down the three holes around the lid area. Sit back and wait. Oh, and stir occasionally. The food is heated by a reaction around the outside of the tin and the foam padding ensures that the heat is directed to the food, not the outside elements!
I was suitably impressed when steam started to appear and the food starting bubbling! The aroma had me doing an impression of the old Bisto adverts, as my nose twitched uncontrollably. I was looking forward to this! Already, the Hotcan had dispelled any fears that I had about it being a blast from the past!
Three holes and one spike = hot food!
Nearly there!
The food itself is on a par to the ‘meals in a can’ that anglers often buy from supermarkets – All Day Breakfast, Irish Stew, and Vegetable Curry to name but a few. It won’t win any Egon Ronay awards, but it’s certainly as good as many a bankside scoff and the sight of the can steaming away on a freezing cold day is certainly a welcoming one! I often buy these ‘meals in a can’ from Tescos and was impressed with the taste of the Hotcans. Certain flavours will appeal to certain individuals, but there are enough in the range to ensure that we all see something that we like the taste of.
There was only one real downside that I could come up with – The Hotcan meals don’t come cheap. If you’re buying them direct from www.hotcan.com , then expect to pay a little over 4 quid a can, but before you turn you nose up at the price, think of this:
– The Hotcan uses no naked flames and, therefore, must be the safest way to have a warm meal inside a bivvy. Very handy when it’s stormy outside.
– Apart from the odd stir, you don’t need to ‘tend’ to a Hotcan, leaving you free to fish. If you hook into a fish and spend some time playing it, the worst that will happen is that you food will go cold….you certainly won’t burn it onto a saucepan, or run your stove out of fuel.
– No washing up!
– No work preparing food! Being lazy, I often “can’t be bothered” to cook myself something decent when I’m fishing. With the Hotcan, it’s simple.
Overall, I think that the price is the only thing that will put off some anglers, which is a shame. Here we have a simple, safe way to prepare decent tasting food. Personally, I’m going to make sure that I have a few tins available ‘just in case’. I don’t mind cooking if I’m in the mood and the weather is right, but knowing that I’ve got a Hotcan or two handy is a comfort.
Take a look at their site – www.hotcan.com – there are plenty of different meals available (some suitable for vegetarians) and give them a try. Our forum moderator and regular carp angler, Gaffer, did and was very impressed!
Before I sign off, here are a few facts about the Hotcan meals:
The heating system is non-toxic and non-pyrotechnic. If you were to have an accident (and I can’t see how!), then all you’d need to do is wipe the fluid off with cold water.
The food takes 12-15 minutes to heat and the insulated can should keep it hot for at least 45 minutes.
The food has a three year shelf-life and no special storage instructions.
The can can be disposed of in the normal way and the packaging is recyclable.
Tight lines,
Elton Murphy
March 2002
