Snails as food

Snails are eaten by people in many parts of the world, including Africa, Southeast Asia, and Mediterranean Europe. In some places, eating snails is a long-standing tradition, while in others it is seen as something not to eat. In English, we often call edible land snails escargot, a word that comes from the French language.

People have been eating snails for thousands of years. Today, snails are farmed in a process called heliciculture, especially in Spain, France, and Italy. These countries have rich histories of using snails in their cooking. While snails were once thought of as simple food, they are now enjoyed as a special treat in fancy restaurants around the world.

Etymology of escargot

The word escargot comes from the French word for snail. People have used this French word since 1892. It originally came from older words in Provençal and Old French. These words trace back to Latin and Ancient Greek, where they referred to kinds of shellfish. The way the word developed in French was also influenced by words related to scarabs.

History

People have been eating snails for a very long time. Archaeologists have found many broken snail shells in old places, like Franchthi Cave in Greece, dating back to 10,700 BCE. These shells show that people were eating snails long before they started farming other foods. Snails are easy to catch and prepare, which may be why they became a popular food in many places.

The ancient Romans loved eating snails and considered them a special food for rich people. One Roman, Quintus Fulvius Lippinus, was known for raising large snails and selling them in Rome. Today, some churches still allow eating snails during certain fasting times because they are not considered animals in the same way as fish or meat. In Spain, old cookbooks from the 1600s have recipes for cooking snails, showing that they have been enjoyed there for centuries.

Main article: hunting

Species

Not all land snails are good to eat, as many are too small to prepare and cook easily, and the taste of their meat can vary between species.

Some popular snails for eating include:

From the genus Helix:

• Helix lucorum, European snail
• Helix pomatia, Roman snail or Burgundy escargot, the most eaten snail in France
• Helix salomonica

From the family Achatinidae:

• Lissachatina fulica (formerly Achatina fulica), giant African snail, which is very popular.

From the genus Cepaea:

• Cepaea nemoralis, grove snail, called rayado ('striped' snail) in Spain
• Cepaea hortensis, white-lipped snail

From the genus Otala:

• Otala punctata, known as cabrilla in Spain, these are bigger
• Otala lactea, Spanish snail

From the genus Pomacea:

• Pomacea canaliculata, apple snail, native to South America but widely eaten in Asia and considered a very invasive species
• Pomacea urceus, in Colombia and Venezuela, where it comes from, it is called guarura

Other snails eaten include:

• Buccinum undatum, common whelk
• Cantareus apertus (formerly Helix aperta), garden snail
• Cornu aspersum (formerly Helix aspersa), common or garden snail, called petit-gris in France
• Elona quimperiana, called Escargot de Quimper in France and caracol moteado in the north of Spain
• Littorina littorea, common periwinkle
• Pachychilus spp. eaten by the Maya
• Ryssota ovum, found only in the Philippines and called buko or bayuko
• Thetystrombus latus, called bilolá in Fang, kolobwidjo in Yoruba and búzio cabra in Cape Verdean Portuguese

Nutrition

Snail meat is a healthy choice because it has fewer calories and less fat than many other meats. It is a good source of protein, with about 10 to 19% in each serving. Snails also contain important minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. They are especially helpful for people who need more iron, such as those with iron-deficiency anemia.

Snails provide essential amino acids, such as lysine, methionine, and cysteine, which are important for our bodies. They also have vitamins A, E, B12, and niacin (vitamin B3), which help keep us healthy. Even though snails have some fat, it includes helpful omega-3 fatty acids and selenium.

Culinary use

Before snails are cooked, they need to be cleaned well. This is done by leaving them without food for several days, sometimes giving them only flour to eat. This helps clear their digestive systems. After this, the snails are washed thoroughly.

When cooking snails, they are washed many times to remove any slime. They are then placed in cold water with salt and brought to a boil. Once they come out of their shells, the heat is increased to cook them quickly. Snails are often served as a snack with toothpicks, with about 25 to 30 snails per serving. They can be cooked in many ways, such as in stews or baked dishes, and are used in many traditional recipes.

By region

People in Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and other African countries enjoy eating large African snails. In Equatorial Guinea, a special giant sea snail called bilolá is often cooked in stews or grilled on skewers.

In the Mediterranean area, many places have long traditions of eating snails. Countries like Andorra, Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal all include snails in their cooking. In French cuisine, snails are usually cooked with garlic butter and herbs, then placed back in their shells to serve. In Cretan cuisine, snails are boiled with wine and herbs before being fried. In Moroccan cuisine, snails are cooked with spices and enjoyed hot, especially during winter.

Snails are also popular in Southeast Asia, where they are eaten in countries like Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Indonesia, they are often fried on skewers, while in West Java, they are served with sauces and curries.

In South Asia, snails are a traditional food in parts of Nepal, India, and Bengal. In the Terai region of Nepal, they are called ghonghi and eaten with rice. In Nagaland and Manipur in India, snails are prepared in special local dishes. In Bengal, they are a valued, affordable food known as geri gugli.