Espinaler 1896: the Catalan art of the premium preserve
In Vilassar de Mar, a small Catalan port thirty kilometres north of Barcelona, the Espinaler house has been canning fish, seafood and aperitif specialities since 1896. Four generations of the founding family have followed one another — first as grocer-vermutery in the heart of the village, then as canner whose tins line the counters of tapas bars throughout Catalonia. The method has evolved, but the principle remains: you don't preserve a mediocre product.
Today, opening an Espinaler Premium in Switzerland means bringing into your home a fragment of a vermut and tapeo culture that has been passed down for over 125 years. This is no anecdote: Espinaler is one of the references Catalans cite when asked which brand they buy when they want to do things right.
Why this house is a reference
- The heritage of a vermutery. Espinaler did not start as a cannery. The house began as a grocery-vermouth bar in Vilassar de Mar — its famous aperitivo Espinaler and its preserves were born at the same counter. This aperitif history is in the DNA: every Premium product is designed to be opened and shared among friends.
- The Premium range, hand-selected. Across the entire Espinaler catalogue, the Premium line is reserved for the finest catches. Each piece is sorted, graded and packed by hand. The RR-125 and OL-120 tins receive only the grades that justify the qualifier.
- The Galician rías for the shellfish. The mussels and zamburiñas come from the deep estuaries of Galicia — considered to produce Europe's finest shellfish thanks to the nutritive richness of Atlantic waters mixed with river inputs. Denser, more colourful, more fragrant flesh than the market average.
- Extra-virgin olive oil as standard. No sunflower, no industrial covering oil. Espinaler Premium tins bathe in Spanish extra-virgin olive oil — often a Hojiblanca or Picual variety — that dialogues with the product rather than masking it.
When I have friends over and serve an Espinaler, I open the tin, place it on the plate, and leave the oil at the bottom. That oil has macerated with the product for months — it's flavoured, it's what ends up on the bread. Decanting it into a bowl means losing half the dish. The Catalan move: tin open, fork, bread alongside, vermouth on ice. The deliberate minimalism of a cuisine that knows what it holds.
The four signature tins in the Orígenes catalogue
- Marinated mussels 12/16 RR-125. Large grade — 12 to 16 meaty mussels per tin, from the Galician rías. Traditional vinegar-spice marinade, balanced, neither acidic nor heavy. The absolute reference for the vermouth aperitif in Catalonia.
- Bonito belly in extra-virgin olive oil OL-120. The most marbled part of the fish, in whole chunks (never flaked). Melting, confit-like texture, to enjoy slowly at room temperature. The house's most coveted preserve.
- Zamburiñas in Galician sauce RR-125. Small scallops endemic to the rías, in the traditional Galician sauce of tomato-onion-sweet paprika. A rarity outside Spain — the emblematic preserve of Santiago de Compostela.
- Sardinillas Premium 20/25 RR-125. Grade 20-25 sardines per tin, young, thin skin, melting flesh. Selected Atlantic catch, extra-virgin olive oil. The sweet spot of the grade — young enough to stay tender, dense enough for flavour.
How to serve an Espinaler
- Take the tin out of the fridge thirty minutes ahead. Like a cheese. A cold preserve blocks the aromas; at room temperature, the oil becomes fluid again and the fish releases its perfume.
- Serve in the open tin, set on the plate. Never decant. The flavoured oil is part of the dish — it's what ends up on the bread, or seasons the warm salad.
- Pair with a red vermouth on ice, an orange wedge, a Manzanilla olive and tomato bread. The classic Catalan quartet. Nothing to invent: Catalonia found the balance 125 years ago, let's follow them.
A good preserve is not a fallback. It's an act of cooking.Espinaler — Vilassar de Mar, since 1896
If you want to understand what an Espinaler really is, here's my advice: one Sunday midday, open two tins — marinated mussels and bonito belly. Place them open on the table. Beside them: tomato bread, a red vermouth on ice with an orange wheel and an olive, and that's all. No starters, no staging. This is exactly how people lunch in Barcelona on weekends, for decades, in neighbourhood vermuterías. You'll instantly understand why these preserves have their status: they're designed for this precise moment.
What to remember
Espinaler is not a preserve brand — it's a Catalan aperitif institution. Its Premium range embodies the Spanish idea that a good tin is worth a cooked dish: it's gastronomic matter, not a last-minute solution. Four generations have built this reputation, and every tin that leaves Vilassar de Mar carries it forward.
Our selection — mussels 12/16, bonito belly, zamburiñas in Galician sauce, sardinillas 20/25 — is in our Espinaler aisle. Premium tins directly imported, Swiss delivery 2 to 4 days, free returns 14 days.
