Cantabrian Anchovies

Rezumar is a respected Spanish conservas producer specialising in the finest seafood from the Cantabrian Sea — the stretch of the Atlantic that runs along the northern coast of Spain, from the Basque Country through Cantabria and Asturias to Galicia. This is one of the world's great fishing grounds, and the anchovies it produces — the famous boquerón del Norte — are widely considered the finest in the world: larger, meatier, and more complex than their Mediterranean counterparts, with a depth of flavour that makes them something altogether different from the tinned anchovies most people know.

Rezumar's anchovies are caught in season, hand-filleted, and cured in salt before being packed in olive oil — a process that takes months and produces a product of extraordinary richness, umami depth, and clean, rounded flavour. These are anchovies without the aggressive saltiness or fishiness that puts people off: properly made Cantabrian anchovies are silky, complex, and intensely savoury in the best possible way. Eat them straight from the tin on good bread with butter, lay them over a simple tomato salad, drape them over a cheese board, or use them to add depth to pasta, sauces, and dressings. One of the world's great pantry staples.