24 Feb Artisan Anchovies of the Cantabrian Sea

Our anchovies are artisanally made in Santoña (Cantabria). This region is known worldwide for being the producer of the best anchovies in the world.

They are fished under the highest standards, respecting the marine species. After fished, they are carefully washed one by one and also eviscerated.

The anchovies pass to a tin, in which they are placed one by one in layers, together with salt. These special containers have a gap to place a heavy stone on them, which presses the anchovies to make them dry better. The anchovies will rest in natural drying room inside the tin until they are fully cured. When this process finishes, the anchovies are ready to be cleaned.

The cleaning of the anchovy is a way of art itself. The “sobadoras” are the women in charge of this process, which is taught generation after generation. With a special scourer, any rest of skin, scrape or guts is removed. After cleaned, the loins are carefully wrapped in a cotton towel and put inside a centrifugator, so that the loins are fully dried. They are unwrapped and tinned, by hand one by one following the traditional methods. 

The result is an amazing product: fleshy, consistent yet tender and flexible full loin of anchovy, totally clean.
Each anchovy is a masterpiece.

Click here to watch the video process in our YouTube channel!