The sea has always been a blessing to the people
of Spain. With hundreds of miles of coastline, Spain’s culinary traditions are
based on the bounty that comes in on fishermen’s boats. Squid, octopus, tuna
and clams all make their appearance in the famous paellas, seafood salads,
stuffed peppers and stews that Spain is known for.
We want to highlight three of our
vendors who provide us with exceptional quality seafood. Conservas la Gaviota, located in the Basque
region, produces extraordinary bonito tuna and anchovies in oil under the Arroyabe brand. Siro & Xavi, just north of Barcelona, uses
only the freshest anchovies to cure delicate white Matiz boquerones. And Connorsa from the coast of Galicia produces
award winning canned fish, such as Matiz Sardines, Pulpo (Octopus), and Berberechos (Cockles).
As with all of the vendors that Matiz sources
from, these companies uphold responsible business practices that support both
the health of their employees and the environment. Conservas la Gaviota uses
only rods and live bait to catch their delicious bonito tuna that is famously
used in Spanish stuffed piquillo peppers. They also employ mostly women in
their factories and set wages on a collective model with the lowest wage being
double that of Spain’s minimum wage.
Siro & Xavi is a family-run business that
started in 1975. They produce amazingly flavorful boquerones that are free of
any preservatives. They use simply sunflower oil, wine vinegar and salt. The company is
run by the grandsons of the original founder, and produce an impressive 13% of
Spain’s boquerones.
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| Siro & Xavi founder with grandsons |
If you haven’t tried Matiz Sardines, Pulpo and Berberechos then you’re in for a treat. Connorsa has
been canning flavorful seafood since 1985, using sustainable methods of
harvesting and working with the natural cycles of sardines to maintain healthy
fish stocks. Canned seafood is a favorite at tapas bars all over Spain and,
with little more than a few grains of salt and a toothpick, they are the
perfect answer to a glass of minerally white wine!
