Having winkles for tea was quite usual in the fifties and sixties; they were quite plentiful then. Not so these days, a good fishmonger might have them, can’t remember the last time we saw any in a supermarket.
The best way to get fresh winkles is to go out and find them yourself, search a rocky shore at low tide. Winkles come in a variety of colours from green to ochre; they’re roundish and whorl-shaped. A couple of pint glasses full should do.
To cook them
Boil them for a couple of minutes in water, sea water is best. To eat winkles, twist them out of their shells with a safety pin, while the shells are still almost too hot to handle. They’re nice with brown bread and butter. To enjoy them at their best they should be hot enough to melt the butter on your bread.
There are fussier recipes but in the case of the winkle, we think less is definitely more.
We'd love to know what you think