Winkle

Known as bigorneau (France), chiocciola di mare (Italy), bígaro (Spain).

The winkle (or periwinkle) is a type of snail usually found on rocky coasts or sandy or muddy habitats on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. They can also be found in brackish water. Far smaller than the land snail usually used in French cooking, the winkle is more accepted in Britain and is eaten regularly as a tasty snack on seaside piers, coated in vinegar.

Winkles may be cooked by placing them in salted water and boiling them in their shells for about 10 minutes. Their bodies can then be coaxed out of their tiny shells with a long pin.