Cantabrian Anchovies 00 Special Selection, Casa Santoña Technical data: Characteristics: Net weight: 115 g // Drained weight: 80 g / 8 fillets. Ingredients: Anchovies (FISH) (Engraulis Encrasicolus), sunflower oil and salt. Producer: Casa Santoña Location: Guadarrama (Madrid) Nutritional Table of Bonito del Norte (per 100gr, drained)

• Energy value 192 Kcal
• Fats 6.75g
• Carbohydrates 7.44g
• Protein 25.30g
• Salt 9.10g

Allergens: may contain traces of fish Keep refrigerated Expiration: 6 months after manufacturing

Santoña: world capital of Premium Anchovy

The fishing village of Santoña is located in the western part of Cantabria. It is known for being the homeland of Juan de la Cosa, navigator of Christopher Columbus on his voyages to America (not the comedian), for its natural treasures such as the Santoña Marshes or Berria Beach and for its historical buildings, such as the forts of San Martín, San Carlos or Napoleon and the church of the Virgin of the Port. However, when someone mentions its name, immediately, a response arises: Bring me anchovies! Without a doubt, this product has reached a fame that transcends the borders of Spain and is found on the menus of the best restaurants around the world. There is not a single visitor to Santoña who leaves without taking anchovies back to their place of origin, but how are they made and how do they reach the rest of the world from Santoña if we do not visit the fishing village? In the 19th century, when salted fish was scarce in southern Italy, some Sicilian adventurers landed in Santoña and some decided to stay, forming the main canning industry in northern Spain. They brought with them a new technique, salting, focusing primarily on the production of "bocarte", as anchovy is known in its place of origin. It consisted of removing the heads of the anchovies, placing them in barrels with salt and pressing them for between four and six months, a process known as maturation.

Anchovy Production Process

Selection Upon arrival at the port, the freshest fish and the most suitable size are selected and purchased at fish auctions. Quality When the fish arrives at the factory, it undergoes a quality control. If it passes, it is salted in suitable containers for rapid dehydration and bleeding. "Alla vera carne" Once salted, the fish is decapitated and eviscerated, and quickly arranged in plastic barrels in alternating layers of fish and salt from sea salt flats. It can also be pressed in salted cans with the right amount of salt, known as "Alla vera carne". Transformation When the salted anchovy has reached the optimal degree of maturation and the appropriate organoleptic characteristics (texture, aroma, pink color, and flavor), it is transformed into anchovy fillet. This key decision in the process is made by the master salter. Blanching, trimming, and dehydration The skin is removed by blanching the fish, and the ventral part and tail are trimmed. Then the anchovy is dehydrated through centrifugation or with cloths to obtain the correct moisture level. Filleting In this process, the anchovy is manually separated into its two muscular parts along the dorsal spine, obtaining two fillets. Small bones, as well as possible skin residues, are removed and the anchovies are carefully and neatly packaged.