Story: Like the start of any good story, Mariscadora begins with an accountant and a fisherman. Founders Angel Costas and Floriano Miñan first met at a now defunct cannery where Costas ran the books as an accountant, and Miñan applied his lifelong knowledge of local seafood as the cannery's purchaser. In 1966, sensing that bankruptcy was on the horizon for their employer, Costas and Miñan decided to jump ship and start their own factory. Mariscadora is the inhouse line of tinned seafood for the cannery.

The ocean has shaped the culture, cuisine, and economy of Galicia for centuries. Nicknamed "the land of a thousand rivers", Galicia is studded with bays and inlets which are fed "rias" [aka estuaries). It's this magical brew of the fresh and salt water that makes Galicia one of the most prolific shellfishing regions in the world.

Producer: Costas y Miñan

Where it's from: Galicia, Spain

Why it’s unique: Cockles are bullraked by hand by mariscadoras before being preserved in sea water using traditional methods. Shellfishing in Galicia is highly restricted, so licenses are often passed down through generations, often staying within families. We've chosen to source the highest quality grade of shellfish for this Mariscadora line. Harvesting and canning production are entirely dictated by the seasons and the health of the shellfish stocks, meaning that no two years will look exactly alike. For example, if it's an off-year for cockles, Costas y Miñan will cap production and produce fewer tins. They refuse to supplement from fisheries in farther flung waters to fill their coffers, ultimately leaving money on the table. This is what sourcing from a single origin truly means, and is why these products are so special.

Ingredients: Cockles, water, salt

How it tastes: Sweet, soft brine, with a black truffle-like vibe going on. As tasty as they are beautiful. Like opening a jewel box to the briney gravy-train of your dreams.

How to eat: Do as the Spaniards have done for hundreds of years - open the tin, open your mouth, and just eat it gurl. Or, make an updated version of a clam dip to serve with chips.

What you get: One 3.9oz (110g) tin

WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov