Winkles, also known as periwinkels, area a type of snail. They used to be popular among the poorer class in Europe and Britain. To cook them, simply boil them in a small amount of heavily salted water. This loosens theanimal from the shell. Then you can pick them out with the point of a sharp object like a small stick or knife - you "winkle" out the meat. Eat them with a dressing of venegar, serve them with butter or your favorite sauce. You can also make them into a soup.
If you've never heard of periwinkle, here's a wiki for you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_periwinkle
