This is brilliant, Elisabeth! Snails…who knew? Well, you, obviously. Thank you so much for shining your light. Not only delicious, they appear to be absurdly nutritious, to boot. Right oh - this time next week, it’s snails for supper! 🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌
My grandfather prepared snails weekly in his Welsh kitchen up to the 1970s, purging them with cabbage leaves and oats. He was from the Forest of Dean, and kept a lot of his country ways despite a lifetime working on the docks, his mushroom hunting skills were impressive. I have vividly happy memories of 'helping' him with the snails and then eating them, it seemed like a much better use of cabbage than what my nan did on Sundays. Snail water was also much more acceptable as a tonic than cabbage water.
This is fascinating Elisabeth! Our neighbour Maria, in Zakynthos, has snails sent over from Crete (where she is from). The preparation stages involve purging the snails by feeding them Spaghetti.
There is also a Cretan grocery shop on the way into Zakynthos town which is wonderful. They have a whole fridge dedicated to Cretan snails. I haven’t tried them yet but it’s a matter of time I’m sure!
Our snails who have migrated from the woods onto our farm, have gaily striped shells, taupe, lavender, pinkish, and yellow. Are you familiar with this kind? No one I know eats them here.
They'll be wood snails - a bit smaller than pomiata. All edible. Best in sauce - I'll be putting up 2-3 recipes (Italian, Greek, Burgundian) for beloved paid subs shortly!
Across France, it's the Helix pomatia, the Roman or Burgunday snail, that's enthusiastically devoured. But they're a protected snail, illegal to collect during their breeding season. The smaller garden snail, Helix aspersa, isn't protected and is edible. But not all snails are. So, as with mushrooms, it's good to check what you've got in your bucket before you cook.
Thanks for posting, Julia! I was collecting H. pomiata in the uplands of the Languedoc in the late 1970's - restrictions on gathering came in after that (also frogs). Just to clarify, all land-based snails are edible - the problem is what they've been eating might be toxic - reason for need to clear the digestive system of debris stored in the cloaca.
Report back, please! Would love to know how you get on....I think I've never written a cookbook that doesn't include at least one snail-recipe. Cept maybe one for Sainsbury's on Spanish Cooking in 1990's, tho wd prob have mentioned in the intro. I listed 'em under 'small game' in "European Peasant Cookery" - editor needed convincing.
Loved this one, Elisabeth. We can still find the big Burgundy snails in our patch although too few nowadays to make a decent meal and they are a protected species anyway. Happily, there is a snail farm not too far away that can supply all my needs!
This is brilliant, Elisabeth! Snails…who knew? Well, you, obviously. Thank you so much for shining your light. Not only delicious, they appear to be absurdly nutritious, to boot. Right oh - this time next week, it’s snails for supper! 🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌
My grandfather prepared snails weekly in his Welsh kitchen up to the 1970s, purging them with cabbage leaves and oats. He was from the Forest of Dean, and kept a lot of his country ways despite a lifetime working on the docks, his mushroom hunting skills were impressive. I have vividly happy memories of 'helping' him with the snails and then eating them, it seemed like a much better use of cabbage than what my nan did on Sundays. Snail water was also much more acceptable as a tonic than cabbage water.
Fascinating, Art! Thanks so much for yr grandad's snail and mushroom hunting in the 1970's - am wondering if yr neighbours in Wales approved ?
He had a small but devoted group of regular "customers" at the local Irish club - I don't think money changed hands, but he enjoyed being appreciated.
Brilliant! 'Customers' for the mushrooms, or snails, or both?
This is fascinating Elisabeth! Our neighbour Maria, in Zakynthos, has snails sent over from Crete (where she is from). The preparation stages involve purging the snails by feeding them Spaghetti.
There is also a Cretan grocery shop on the way into Zakynthos town which is wonderful. They have a whole fridge dedicated to Cretan snails. I haven’t tried them yet but it’s a matter of time I’m sure!
From my Cretan neighbour, Maria:
Boil the purged snails for 10 minutes
Add olive oil to a large frying pan and fry for 10 minutes.
Add a glass of wine (colour not specified!), chopped onions and grated garlic and cook for a further 15 mins
Add some grated tomatoes, potatoes, courgettes along with some rosemary, cumin and oregano
Cook until snails come out of shells.
A mix of strong flavours!
Rosemary, oregano, cumin plus potato and courgettes - gorgeous!
Spag-snails is a new one on me! How does she finish them?
I will find out and get back to you!
Our snails who have migrated from the woods onto our farm, have gaily striped shells, taupe, lavender, pinkish, and yellow. Are you familiar with this kind? No one I know eats them here.
They'll be wood snails - a bit smaller than pomiata. All edible. Best in sauce - I'll be putting up 2-3 recipes (Italian, Greek, Burgundian) for beloved paid subs shortly!
Across France, it's the Helix pomatia, the Roman or Burgunday snail, that's enthusiastically devoured. But they're a protected snail, illegal to collect during their breeding season. The smaller garden snail, Helix aspersa, isn't protected and is edible. But not all snails are. So, as with mushrooms, it's good to check what you've got in your bucket before you cook.
Thanks for posting, Julia! I was collecting H. pomiata in the uplands of the Languedoc in the late 1970's - restrictions on gathering came in after that (also frogs). Just to clarify, all land-based snails are edible - the problem is what they've been eating might be toxic - reason for need to clear the digestive system of debris stored in the cloaca.
Ooh. Thank you for clarifying! My Perigord potager is rammed with snails. Now I can exact my revenge!
Report back, please! Would love to know how you get on....I think I've never written a cookbook that doesn't include at least one snail-recipe. Cept maybe one for Sainsbury's on Spanish Cooking in 1990's, tho wd prob have mentioned in the intro. I listed 'em under 'small game' in "European Peasant Cookery" - editor needed convincing.
"Small game" is genius! That should be formalised.
Loved this one, Elisabeth. We can still find the big Burgundy snails in our patch although too few nowadays to make a decent meal and they are a protected species anyway. Happily, there is a snail farm not too far away that can supply all my needs!
Damm!
LOVE the precious information about snail eating in England!!!