Winkles from Grand Manan

“Winkles” are from Grand Manan New Brunswick, a good Ferry ride out from Black’s Harbour (think canned sardines) in the South East, New Brunswick waters, of The Bay of Fundy.

They are steamed and eaten with a oil & vinegar dipping sauce. Hot or Cold.

In Rodney’s words, “A great ocean investment for the cost, ratio, to time to eat… best value on the menu.”

To eat them, use a straightened paper clip or a needle.

To cook them:

1)Steam in own juices, maybe a tablespoon or two of cold water(not too much), stir.
2)Take the black cap off and stick that on your forehead, for Hindu celebrations later in your life.
3)Nick the meat with the pick.
4)Then counter screw the shell and go the opposite with the meat so it is like taking a screw out of wood.
5)Dip in oil/vinegar

… and experience an earthy flavor of ocean wealth.

For the nutritionally obsessed: 80% water, 15% protein, 1.4% fat, very high in omega-3 fatty acids

In Canada, immigrants from the United Kingdom or children, grandparents, etc of such would go  to the ocean to have a bag of “winks”, “winkles”, “buckies” or “caracoles”(Netherlands).  They are sold by weight in a bushel burlap bag, usually 60 pounds, but broken down in lesser poundage amounts.  We see them eaten where the periwinkle is living and exported to urban markets. Scotland, England, EU, Ireland, Portugal, China, etc., and Grand Manan, NB to Toronto.

At home, contain them (in a container – a box or bag) and put into spray tanks. If they escape they are great Travellers and tremendous clearers of algae.  They are intertidal and Grand Manan Island, with its extreme tides, provides a great harvest zone, Winter and Summer.

In Summer, they are picked on foot.  In Winter, the winkle is harvested on Four Wheel All Terrain vehicles, at low tide, and put in water filled containers so they do not freeze in transfer to processing plants for grading out the pebbles and seaweed.

(One hates to pay for rock weight in the shipping).

Many thanks to Rodney for the detail.