Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

[Trickyvee]

When I was young you could always buy boiled willicks at the seaside. You'd get a polysterene cup full and eat them with a pin, trying to ignore the fact that they looked like snots.

I remember liking them and I'd love to try them again but I haven't seen them sold since back then. I'd pick my own but I don't know if they are safe to eat. Does anybody know if ones off the North East coast are safe?

[Heather74]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

This brings back memories of Butlins they use to bring them around the ballrooms at night in those little carry things the cinema sold ice creams from.
I always assumed they were Cockles and Muscles but I was so young I suppose it might of been winkles Either way I loved them

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

Wow Shellfish! In the mid 1970s we used to go to Poole Harbour in Dorset (anyone else go there?) where there was a crescent shaped plaza at the end, one sold ice cream, postcards burgers and chips, but the highlight for me was a tray of muscles or cockles covered in vinegar and salt (not winkles though, they looked too much like snotty snails!!!)

[Marine Boy]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

Can't help with which varieties are safe to eat, but as a kid we would eat a lot of seafood including whelks, winkles and cockles whenever we were on the coast. Here's a picture of a cockle.



Can't say I fancy one these days. I mean, just look at it!

[Heather74]

t (not winkles though, they looked too much like snotty snails!!!)

Ahhh mine where Cockles and Muscles then, as they didn't look like snot, baby aliens maybe but SNOT snot

Can't help with which varieties are safe to eat, but as a kid we would eat a lot of seafood including whelks, winkles and cockles whenever we were on the coast. Here's a picture of a cockle.

Ekkk see..... Baby Aliens!!!!!!!

[Marine Boy]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

Indeed.

What about jellied eels?

[Heather74]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

Never tried Jellied Eels not even as a kid, dont think I could bring myself to these days, unless blind folded

[Marine Boy]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

Ha. Yes, I know what you mean. The funny thing was, as a kid, I thought people were saying Jelly Deals. It wasn't until I was older I realised they were actually eels cut up into slices. My Dad was an eastender. He's to blame for the family eating all those slimey little creatures.

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

My gran went to London possibly 1970ish and she had jellied eels, I think the stall she had them from could have been Tubby Issacs? she raved about them though?

I do remember the shellfish men who came round the pubs too with the baskets of packet prawns and mussels, delightful!!

[Heather74]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

I do remember the shellfish men !

Awww would they not share?? that is very shellfish indeed

[Trickyvee]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

I've always wanted to try jellied eels. What do they taste like?

And why were limpets never on the menu? Rocks are literally crawling with them. Are they poisonous or just too much bother to prise off the rocks?

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

I watch all the Ray Mears survival programmes, and he said once that Limpets are better to eat than mussells because they are not filter feeders and do not contain so many toxins, just hack them off the rocks and cook them over some driftwood. Mmmm......

Never eaten jellied eels, they look too much like snakes!

[Trickyvee]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

That's my adventure for the weekend sorted. Collect limpets and cook them!

[Austin Maxi]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

That's my adventure for the weekend sorted. Collect limpets and cook them!

Good luck!

I went to Blackpool with some friends in '98 and I remember we had cups of whelks on one of the piers. They weren't as absolutely disgusting as I thought they might be (they could use that as the advertising slogan on the stall!). I remember childhood holidays when we visited Poole and Mudeford Quay - where you could get the same sort of thing, but I didn't try them there.

[moonvisage]

Re: Eating willicks (winkles) at the seaside

I use to go to the local beach and collect Winkles with my dad when i was an infant.We would come back with huge carrier bags full of them.My mum would put a big pressure cooker on the stove,without the evil,terrifying pressure cooker lid,fill it with water,and boil them for hours.We would then have a nice feast.They would vanish quite quick,so i assume my parents gave a lot of them to local friends of theirs.We used pins to get them out aswell.making sure not to eat the head for some strange reason.They were rubbery-ish and tasted quite nice.Overall.they make a great fun snack.