Having just returned from my first trip to Portugal, my love of tinned seafood has grown even more voracious.

There, you’ll find all manner of canned fish and shellfish not only on supermarket shelves but at specialty sardine stores that seem to be on nearly every block, beckoning tourists with their colorful and whimsical packaging.

In this country, the variety may pale in comparison. But I’m always heartened when new ones come to market — especially when they have a local Bay Area connection.

Gilded Fish is one of the newest.

This new line of premium tinned wild sockeye salmon was created by Gil Levy of San Francisco’s Bernal Cutlery, where he’s a buyer for its discerning selection of pantry items.

Over the years, he’s developed a particular passion for tinned fish, as he’s traveled around Japan and Portugal. It just so happened that his brother Eyal Levy was a producer on “Unearth,” a documentary about a controversial proposed mining project outside Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska. He introduced Gil to the Strickland brothers, who fish Bristol Bay every summer and are featured in the film. That connection eventually led Gil to the sustainable sockeye that he sources from Bristol Bay, the largest wild-run sockeye fishery in the world.

Manufactured in Berkeley, the alderwood-smoked salmon is oil-packed, featuring extra-virgin olive oil from Seka Hills, made by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation in the Capay Valley.

Gilded Fish offers two varieties: Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon in Olive Oil, and Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon with Yuzu & Chili. Both come in 3.3-ounce tins with the former retailing for $16 and the latter $17.

And the taste?

Rich, robust, smoky and deliciously meaty with a dense texture, from the samples that I tried.

The plain olive oil-packed variety really lets the voluptuousness of the salmon shine through, and lets it be a blank canvas for any other seasonings or ingredients you want to add. Pile it on grilled bread, stuff it into pita with hummus, top a salad, or toss with pasta or noodles of your choice. Though, truth be told, it’s pretty fabulous tasting all on its own.

The yuzu-chili variety is really bright and zesty tasting, with a gentle floral note and a warm hit of spiciness. It tastes a bit saltier than the plain oil-packed variety. Top cold soba noodles with it, wrap rice and seaweed around it to make a tasty onigiri, crown chilled soft tofu, fold into soft scrambled eggs, or rev up your next tuna melt with it.

Wrap up a couple of Gilded Fish tins for a unique holiday host/hostess gift. Or just keep a few handy in your pantry for a quick, easy, and nourishing gourmet jumping off point.

Find Gilded Fish on the Bernal Cutlery site or in-store there. Or on Oakland’s Preserved site or in-store there.