Conservas Ortiz has been canning the catch of Spain’s northern coast since 1891, and four generations later the house still treats the anchovy as a craft rather than a commodity. Its Cantabrian anchovies — caught in spring, salt-matured for the better part of two years, and hand-filleted — are the reference standard for the category in America. Ortiz also makes excellent bonito del norte tuna and a range of sardines, but it is the anchovy that earns the brand its place at the top of our directory. If you are buying your first serious tin, this is the safest place to spend your money.