Ortiz Anchovies (in tin)

A good anchovy fillet is worth eating “straight up” on a saltine (cracker). The plain force of salty fish is a good taste.

These little Ortiz Anchovies are perfect for the palate and plate. Bring your “packet” of crackers or a couple of slices of a fresh baguette. Take Ortiz anchovies out of the tin, place or spread lightly on the baguette, and you have a lunch fit for an Emperor of Umami!

There are 144 different versions swimming around in the warm ocean waters all over the globe. By the time we consume these little fish, who rarely grow larger than 4 inches, they start to blend together without distinction. But be forewarned, not all cans, jars, or other vessels contain the same finished results.

Cured anchovies are made (or transmogrified) by layering anchovies alternately with lots of salt in barrels. This process creates a liquid called Garum, the original fermented fish sauce of the ancient worlds like Byzantium, and also creates the anchovies we know and love. After many months of curing, the little fishies are packed in salt or oil to be used in dishes around the world.

These little babies explode your palate with an amino acid!

This amino acid we affectionately call Glutamate and it is naturally found in foods like tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano and kombu. Naturally high in levels of glutamate, Inosinic acid, and guanosine monophosphate, and you have what is called today as Umami.