Island Creek X Mariscadora Mussels in Pickled Sauce

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: These mussels were grown on floating rafts using rope culture before being harvested by mariscadoras. Shellfishing in Galicia is highly restricted, so licenses are often passed down through generations, often staying within families. Island Creek Oysters chose 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: Mussels, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, spices

How it tastes: These mussels taste as if they were just plucked from the ocean and are perfect straight out of the tin. They have a beautifully delicate texture and are coated in a light tomato vinegar sauce.

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, use to make a fancy bruschetta with lemon aioli and fresh chilis.

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