Whilst you can eat Common Garden Snail
Helix aspersa, and
people do, their cousin the Roman or Burgundy Snail
H. pomatia, the species in these photos, is much more prized. You don't see them out and about that often. This one was making its way across a track in the grounds of the chateau of Candé. Simon picked it up and popped it under the laurels where it would be safer.
7 comments:
I'm getting hungry!
As I understand it, the 'escargots de Bourgogne' we eat in France come from Eastern Europe.
The next village has an annual snailfest...for years I helped on the preparation - so good for the hands - until a new committee decided to buy in the snails...as chm says...imported from eastern Europe.
I'm not a great fan of snails, but used to collect bucketloads after rain and gove them to the postlady whose grandmother happily accepted all contributions.
There still seemed to be plenty to ravage the veg garden though...
The ENEMY!!
The dreaded enemy...
If the weather turns wet... we'll be unindated with the large...
AaaaaaRGH! There is a slug on the mouse...
chm: these days snails on menus are often imports, but the Roman snail is native to the limestone country of France I think. France's only organic snail farmer is based near Preuilly, and he raises them commercially.
Glad to know there is a snail farm in France. However, I wonder whether the imported snails are cheaper than the locally raised ones?
chm: I've got no idea what the price of snails generally is, but it wouldn't surprise me if the imports are cheaper.
Simon's the wind beneath its foot.
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