Escargot
A famous French delicacy is escargot. Escargot is snail, which can be served in a variety of sauces. Well prepared escargot has a delightful flavor and texture. Snails have been a delicacy in several Mediterranean countries throughout history as well. However, the French eat an estimate of 40,000 tons of escargot a year, making France the world’s leading consumers of escargot.
Preparing fresh escargot takes several days. Escargot may be farmed or found in the wild. In France there is actually a shortage of wild escargot. Regardless of the type of snail, these snails have to “fast” usually a week prior to being prepared. “Fasting” the snail is a way to cleanse the system of the snail to get rid of toxins so they are edible.
Common preparations for escargot include steaming or boiling. Snails are typically served still in the shell, although there are several recipes that do not include the shell. Often, escargot may be served on a special escargot plate, a plate with depressions for each shell to sit in.
In order to eat escargot, you use special tongs to remove the flesh from the shell. Once you have the meat, you then use a small fork, comparable to a crab fork, to dip the escargot into a sauce. The most common sauce for snail is butter or garlic based. Wine sauces are also popular.
There are at least 100 different types of edible snails. The most popular in France are the Petit-Gris and Escargot de Bourgogne. The nutritional value of a snail can depend on how it is prepared. Snails are low in fat and high in protein. Snails are also 80 percent water.
If you are interested in preparing your own escargot, canned snails are available.