Whelks

Whelks are carnivorous sea snails. They are usually harvested by putting the left overs from a used cow into a large barrel with lots of holes & submerging it at a suitable site. When it is hauled up a week later there is a lot less cow and a lot of whelks.
The can be eaten straight from the shell (I have never done this) but are usually boiled. You often find them pickled, when they are something of a specialist taste. They have the consistency of a squash ball, and are about as edible. They also taste rather like a bad locker room smells, but with more vinegar.

But fresh, mm. Its a different story. Slightly chewier than an oyster, and with a slightly stronger taste. How to describe it? The texture is soft, yet firm. There is a subtle hint of the sea. A delicate freshness, its almost like the first taste of spring after a long winter. A sweetness, yet muskiness. To be blunt, basically, good welks taste like good pussy. Mmmm.