Snails are considered edible in many areas such as the
Mediterranean region
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and wa ...
,
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, or
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
, while in other cultures, snails are seen as a
taboo food
Some people do not eat various specific foods and beverages in conformity with various religious, cultural, legal or other societal prohibitions. Many of these prohibitions constitute taboos. Many food taboos and other prohibitions forbid the mea ...
. In American English, edible land snails are also called escargot, taken from the French word for 'snail,' and the production of snails for consumption is called snail farming or
heliciculture
Heliciculture, commonly known as snail farming, is the process of raising edible land snails, primarily for human consumption or cosmetic use. The meat and snail eggs a.k.a. ''white caviar'' can be consumed as escargot and as a type of caviar, r ...
. Snails as a food date back to ancient times, with numerous cultures worldwide having traditions and practices that attest to their consumption.
The snails are collected after the rains and are put to "purge" (fasting). In the past, the consumption of snails had a marked seasonality, from April to June. However, thanks to snail breeding techniques, today they are available all year round. Heliciculture occurs mainly in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, which are also the countries with the greatest culinary tradition of the snail. Although throughout history, the snail has had little value in the kitchen because it is considered "poverty food," in recent times it can be classified as a
delicacy
A delicacy is usually a rare and expensive food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture. Irrespective of local preferences, such a label is typically pervasive throughout a r ...
thanks to the appreciation given to it by ''
haute cuisine
''Haute cuisine'' (; ) or ''grande cuisine'' is the cuisine of "high-level" establishments, gourmet restaurants, and luxury hotels. ''Haute cuisine'' is characterized by the meticulous preparation and careful presentation of food at a high pric ...
'' chefs.
Etymology of ''escargot''
''Escargot'', , comes from the French word for snail. One of the first recorded uses of the French word ''escargot,'' meaning dates from 1892. The French word (1549) derives from ''escaragol'' ( Provençal) and thence ''escargol'' (
Old French
Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...
), and is ultimately – via
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin, also known as Popular or Colloquial Latin, is the range of non-formal registers of Latin spoken from the Late Roman Republic onward. Through time, Vulgar Latin would evolve into numerous Romance languages. Its literary counterpa ...
''coculium'' and
Classical Latin
Classical Latin is the form of Literary Latin recognized as a literary standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was used from 75 BC to the 3rd century AD, when it developed into Late Latin. In some later period ...
''conchylium'' – from the
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...
''konchylion (κογχύλιον)'', which meant "edible shellfish, oyster". The ''Online Etymological Dictionary'' writes, "The form of the word in Provençal and French seem to have been influenced by words related to the ''scarab''."
History
Researchers have not been able to pinpoint when humans began consuming snails, although archaeological discoveries point to earlier stages than the invention of
hunting
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...
. A lot of broken snail shells have been found in the
Franchthi Cave
Franchthi Cave or Frankhthi Cave ( el, Σπήλαιον Φράγχθι) is an archaeological site overlooking Kiladha Bay, in the Argolic Gulf, opposite the village of Kiladha in southeastern Argolis, Greece.
Humans first occupied the cave during ...
, in the Greek
Argolis
Argolis or Argolida ( el, Αργολίδα , ; , in ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese, situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula and part of the ...
, from the year 10,700 BCE. In ''Historia de gastronomía'' (2004), Fernández-Armesto points out the possible reasons: snails are easy to handle, and their cultivation "seems like a natural extension of harvesting." Unlike hunting large game, no guns or dogs are needed, and one's safety is not in jeopardy. Unlike other livestock, snails are easy to feed and can be raised in large numbers:
It is difficult to go beyond the limits of a developmentalist and progressive model of the history of food, according to which it is unthinkable that no food was cultivated in such early times, but snail farming is so simple, requires so little technical effort and is conceptually so close to harvesting methods, that it seems doctrinaire to the point of stubbornness to exclude such a possibility.
:– Felipe Fernandez-Armesto.
Many sites in the
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains ( ar, جبال زاغروس, translit=Jibal Zaghrus; fa, کوههای زاگرس, Kuh hā-ye Zāgros; ku, چیاکانی زاگرۆس, translit=Çiyakani Zagros; Turkish: ''Zagros Dağları''; Luri: ''Kuh hā-ye Zāgr ...
of Iraq and the
Kermanshah
Kermanshah ( fa, کرمانشاه, Kermânšâh ), also known as Kermashan (; romanized: Kirmaşan), is the capital of Kermanshah Province, located from Tehran in the western part of Iran. According to the 2016 census, its population is 946,68 ...
region of western Iran are from the late Pleistocene and include snail shells that have been interpreted as food debris. Specifically, these species were mainly ''
Helix salomonica
A helix () is a shape like a corkscrew or spiral staircase. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined helices, ...
'' or ''
Levantina
''Levantina'' is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Helicinae of the family Helicidae, the typical snails.MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Levantina Kobelt, 1871. Accessed thr ...
'' sp. The deposits with snails from the ancient
Capsian culture
The Capsian culture was a Mesolithic and Neolithic culture centered in the Maghreb that lasted from about 8,000 to 2,700 BC. It was named after the town of Gafsa in Tunisia, which was known as Capsa in Roman times.
Capsian industry was concen ...
(present-day Tunisia) are of notable importance, as well as those found in the
Cantabrian Mountains
, etymology=Named after the Cantabri
, photo=Cordillera Cantábrica vista desde el Castro Valnera.jpg
, photo_caption=Cantabrian Mountains parallel to the Cantabrian Sea seen from Castro Valnera in an east-west direction. In the background, ...
, the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
and the northern Adriatic (present-day Croatia and Slovenia), in addition to many other remains of snails throughout the Mediterranean Basin. The most convincing evidence for prehistoric land snail consumption is found in the
Maghreb
The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...
, beginning in the
Iberomaurusian
The Iberomaurusian is a backed bladelet lithic industry found near the coasts of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. It is also known from a single major site in Libya, the Haua Fteah, where the industry is locally known as the Eastern Oranian.The ...
(20 000 BP) and continuing through the Capsian to at least 6 000 BP. Outside the Mediterranean region, the occurrence of land snails as food debris is less common. According to , archaeological remains of land snails have been found in the Caribbean, Peru, Texas and other parts of North America, in East Africa, Sudan, Nigeria and in the Philippines. Also, archaeological remains of freshwater snails have been found in
Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
.
Ancient Rome
The Romans considered escargots an elite food, as noted in the writings of
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...
. The Roman breeder Quintus Fulvius Lippinus is considered the "father" of heliciculture, or at least, the first written reference to snail farms. Lippinus established his study center in the Tuscan city of
Tarquinia
Tarquinia (), formerly Corneto, is an old city in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, Central Italy, known chiefly for its ancient Etruscan tombs in the widespread necropoleis, or cemeteries, for which it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status ...
to feasibly domesticate various animals, such as dormouse and wild boar, among many others. However, he was best known for his enormous snails, of which he had several species brought from Illyria to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. With a fatty diet he devised to fatten them, he obtained large quantities of snails, which he then marketed in Rome. His snails set the trend among the Roman upper class, and the practice became popular. Lippinus was an innovator who managed a large company that marketed his snails beyond the
Mare Nostrum
''Mare Nostrum'' (; Latin: "Our Sea") was a Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea. In Classical Latin, it would have been pronounced , and in Ecclesiastical Latin, it is pronounced .
In the decades following the 1861 unification of Italy, Ital ...
.The story of Fulvius Lippinus is documented in the ''Rerum rusticarum'' libri III (chapters XII and XIV) by
Marcus Terentius Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro (; 116–27 BC) was a Roman polymath and a prolific author. He is regarded as ancient Rome's greatest scholar, and was described by Petrarch as "the third great light of Rome" (after Vergil and Cicero). He is sometimes calle ...
, and a century later in the ''
Naturalis Historia
The ''Natural History'' ( la, Naturalis historia) is a work by Pliny the Elder. The largest single work to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day, the ''Natural History'' compiles information gleaned from other ancient authors. ...
'' (books VIII and IX) by Pliny the Elder. In ''
De re coquinaria
''Apicius'', also known as ''De re culinaria'' or ''De re coquinaria'' (''On the Subject of Cooking'') is a collection of Roman cookery recipes. It is thought to have been compiled in the fifth century AD. Its language is in many ways closer ...
'', one of the complete Roman cookbooks, four recipes based on snails are mentioned. Shells of the edible species '' Cernuella virgata'' and '' Otala lactea'' were been recovered from the Roman-era city
Volubilis
Volubilis (; ar, وليلي, walīlī; ber, ⵡⵍⵉⵍⵉ, wlili) is a partly excavated Berber-Roman city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes, and may have been the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, at least from the time of Kin ...
, in present-day
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
. They are a harbinger of the escargot found in modern souks of the country.
Modern Age
Pope
Pius V
Pope Pius V ( it, Pio V; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri, O.P.), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1566 to his death in May 1572. He is v ...
, who was an avid eater of snails, decided that they had to be considered as fish to continue eating them during
Lent
Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
, exclaiming: ''Estote pisces in aeternum!'' ('you will be fish forever!'). In Spain, the custom continued to have continuity as can be seen in the gastronomic literature of that time. In the ' by Diego Granado –head chef of the Spanish royal household–, a section was dedicated to the snail, explaining its biological characteristics, how to clean it and various recipes on how to cook it, fry it, etc. Curiously, this book was published in 1614 in
Lérida
Lleida (, ; Spanish: Lérida ) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida.
Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Central Depression. It is also the capital city of the Segrià comarca, as ...
, a city in western
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...
famous for its culinary tradition of the snail.
Species
Not all land snails are edible since many are too small–not worthwhile to prepare and cook–and the palatability of the flesh varies among the species.
From the genus
Helix
A helix () is a shape like a corkscrew or spiral staircase. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined helic ...
:
* '' Helix lucorum'', European snail
* '' Helix pomatia'', Roman snail or Burgundy escargot, is the most consumed species in France
* ''
Helix salomonica
A helix () is a shape like a corkscrew or spiral staircase. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined helices, ...
''
From the genus
Cepaea
''Cepaea'' is a genus of medium-sized air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicidae. The shells of species within this genus are often brightly colored and patterned with stripes. The two species ...
:
* ''
Cepaea nemoralis
The grove snail, brown-lipped snail or Lemon snail (''Cepaea nemoralis'') is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc. MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Cepaea nemoralis (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed thr ...
'', grove snail, known as ''rayado'' ('striped' snail) in Spain
* ''
Cepaea hortensis
The white-lipped snail or garden banded snail, scientific name ''Cepaea hortensis'', is a medium-sized species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Helicidae. It is a close rel ...
Otala punctata
''Otala punctata'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae. Distribution
This species occurs in the Mediterranean basin - Andorra, List of non-marine mollu ...
'', known as ''cabrilla'' in Spain, are bigger
* '' Otala lactea'', Spanish snail
From the genus
Pomacea
''Pomacea'' is a genus of freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. The genus is native to the Americas; most species in this genus are restricted to South America ...
:
* ''
Pomacea canaliculata
''Pomacea canaliculata'', commonly known as the golden apple snail or the channeled apple snail, is a species of large freshwater snail with gills and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails ...
'', apple snail, although native to South America, is widely consumed in Asia and is considered a highly invasive species.
* ''
Pomacea urceus
''Pomacea urceus'' is a species of freshwater gastropod in the family Ampullariidae
Ampullariidae, commonly known as the apple snails, is a family of large freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks with a gill and an operculum. ...
'', in Colombia and Venezuela, where it originates, it is known as ''guarura.''
Others:
* ''
Buccinum undatum
''Buccinum undatum'', the common whelk or the waved buccinum, is a large, edible marine gastropod in the family Buccinidae, the "true whelks".Fraussen, K.; Gofas, S. (2014). Buccinum undatum Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: World Register of M ...
Cornu aspersum
''Cornu aspersum'' (syn. ''Cryptomphalus aspersus''), known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail in the family Helicidae, which includes some of the most familiar land snails. Of all terrestrial molluscs, this species may ...
'' (formerly ''Helix aspersa''), common or garden snail, known as ''petit-gris'' in France
* ''
Elona quimperiana
''Elona quimperiana'', common name the escargot de Quimper ("Quimper snail"), is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Elonidae.
''Elona'' is a monotypic genus, i.e. it contains only on ...
'', known as ''escargot de
Quimper
Quimper (, ; br, Kemper ; la, Civitas Aquilonia or ) is a commune and prefecture of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.
Administration
Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department.
Geography
Th ...
'' in France and ''caracol moteado'' in the north of Spain
* ''
Lissachatina fulica
''Lissachatina fulica'' is a species of large land snail that belongs in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. It is also known as the Giant African land snail.Persististrombus latus'', known as ''bilolá'' in Fang, ''kolobwidjo'' in
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
Pachychilus
''Pachychilus'', common name the jute snails, is a genus of freshwater snails with an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pachychilidae.
''Pachychilus'' is the type genus of the family Pachychilidae.
Distribution
The distri ...
'' sp. are consumed as food amongst the Maya
Nutrition
Snail meat has several benefits compared to other meats, highlighting its low calorie and fat content. It is a source of protein (between 10 and 19%). Nutritional information can vary depending on the snail species and on who performs the nutritional analysis.The nutritional information from the
USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
database is shown in the nutritional table (it does not indicate which species of snail). Compare t "Calories in Snails (100 g) and Nutrition Facts" ''FatSecret''. (species not indicated). A second USDA study, with different data and without indicating the species, can be consulted here ''USDA''. And as a reference for this article, the Spanish Ministry of Food data is taken, see . Even so, it can be said that snails are rich in inorganic nutrients: on the one hand, 82% water. On the other, minerals such as
magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...
and
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with Symbol (chemistry), symbol Fe (from la, Wikt:ferrum, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 element, group 8 of the periodic table. It is, Abundanc ...
(mainly, but also calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium), in addition to a high percentage of niacin (
vitamin B3
Vitamin B3, colloquially referred to as niacin, is a vitamin family that includes three forms or vitamers: niacin (nicotinic acid), nicotinamide (niacinamide), and nicotinamide riboside. All three forms of vitamin B3 are converted within the bo ...
), since for every 100 g of snail meat, up to a 55% of the DRI (in women) and 41% DRI (in men). Consumption of snails is a good source of
selenium
Selenium is a chemical element with the symbol Se and atomic number 34. It is a nonmetal (more rarely considered a metalloid) with properties that are intermediate between the elements above and below in the periodic table, sulfur and tellurium, ...
; Of the recommended daily amount of selenium required, the snail provides up to 50% (in women) and 30% (in men).
Due to its high iron content, the intake of snails is recommended for people suffering from
iron-deficiency anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia is anemia caused by a lack of iron. Anemia is defined as a decrease in the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. When onset is slow, symptoms are often vague such as feeling tired, weak, shor ...
. Its low-fat content is beneficial because it provides the body with
omega-3 fatty acids
Omega−3 fatty acids, also called Omega-3 oils, ω−3 fatty acids or ''n''−3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) characterized by the presence of a double bond, three atoms away from the terminal methyl group in their chem ...
. In general, regular consumption of snails is beneficial for the treatment of depression, strengthening the nervous and immune systems, preventing heart disease, and regulating the thyroid gland.
Culinary use
Cleaning
Before using it in the kitchen, the snails must be previously cleaned to remove impurities. The cleaning process (called ''purgado'' in Spanish) consists of leaving them alive for several days without eating or only eating flour. The flour method is a homemade resource to clean the animal's digestive tract. Formerly in Spain, the snails were hung from mesh bags from which they could not escape. The snail chef recommends not giving them anything to eat for at least eight days (although ideally ten or twelve) and then washing them well. Snails that die during the purging process should be disposed of.
Preparation
The slime should be removed with as many washes of water as possible, with a colander under running water or in a saucepan. Again they are washed, but this time with salt water. The salt also helps cut through the slime. After being cleaned and washed several times, they are transferred to a pot with cold water and salt, and when they come out of their shell, the heat is raised to the maximum, and they are cooked for approximately a quarter of an hour. After this, they are served in the chosen stew, sauce, or recipe. This intermediate action is popularly known as ''engañar'' ("cheating") the snail in Spain, since when they notice a certain heat, they come out of their shell, and, once outside, the flame is raised so that they die at that moment.
Consumption
In bars where snails are offered as a ''tapa'', it is common for it to be served with
toothpicks
A toothpick is a small thin stick of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, bone or other substance with at least one and sometimes two pointed ends to insert between teeth to remove detritus, usually after a meal. Toothpicks are also used for festive ...
, as this is the typical rustic utensil for eating snails. The ration for a common person ranges between 25 and 30 snails. In ''
haute cuisine
''Haute cuisine'' (; ) or ''grande cuisine'' is the cuisine of "high-level" establishments, gourmet restaurants, and luxury hotels. ''Haute cuisine'' is characterized by the meticulous preparation and careful presentation of food at a high pric ...
''-style catering, snails are consumed by grasping the shell with a ''pince à escargot'' and extracting the snail with a fork called ''fourchette à escargot''.
On a culinary level, they can be cooked in many ways: stews, baked, ''a la gormanta'', ''a la brutesque''. In the cuisine of Lleida, it is an ingredient in many traditional dishes, in many cases mixing it with other meats: snails with pig's feet, with rabbit, with chicken, with lobsters and prawns, etc.
By region
African Guinea
In
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
,
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
,
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, and other countries in the area, they are used to eating the African variants of snail, which are larger. Typical of Equatorial Guinea is a giant sea snail called ''bilolá'' ('' Persististrombus latus''), which is eaten stewed or sautéed, which in Cape Verde is known as ''búzio cabra'', and it is grilled on skewers.
Mediterranean Basin
There is a tradition of consuming snails in Andorra, Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal on the European side and Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia on the African side. ''
Cornu aspersum
''Cornu aspersum'' (syn. ''Cryptomphalus aspersus''), known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail in the family Helicidae, which includes some of the most familiar land snails. Of all terrestrial molluscs, this species may ...
'' is the most widespread species in the Mediterranean basin, the Iberian Peninsula, and the French Atlantic coast.
In
French cuisine
French cuisine () is the cooking traditions and practices from France. It has been influenced over the centuries by the many surrounding cultures of Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium, in addition to the food traditions of the re ...
, snails are typically purged, killed, shelled, and cooked (usually with
garlic butter
Garlic butter, also known as ''beurre à la bourguignonne'', is a compound butter used as a flavoring for many dishes or as a condiment.'' Larousse Gastronomique'' (1961), Crown Publishers(''Translated from the French, Librairie Larousse, Pari ...
,
chicken stock
Stock, sometimes called bone broth, is a savory cooking liquid that forms the basis of many dishes particularly soups, stews, and sauces. Making stock involves simmering animal bones, meat, seafood, or vegetables in water or wine, often for an ...
or
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
), and then placed back into the shells with the butter and sauce for serving. Additional ingredients, such as garlic, thyme, parsley, and pine nuts, may be added. Special tongs for holding the shell and forks for extracting the meat are typically provided. Escargot is served on indented metal trays with places for six or 12 snails.
In Cretan cuisine, the snails are first boiled in white wine with bay leaves, celery, and onion and then coated with flour and fried with rosemary and vinegar.
In
Maltese cuisine
Maltese cuisine reflects Maltese history; it shows strong Italian influences as well as influences from Spanish, French, Provençal, and other Mediterranean cuisines, with some later British culinary influence. Having to import most of its foo ...
simmered
Simmering is a food preparation technique by which foods are cooked in hot liquids kept just below the boiling point of water (lower than ) and above poaching temperature (higher than ). To create a steady simmer, a liquid is brought to a boil, ...
in red wine or ale with
mint
MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaA ...
,
basil
Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also k ...
and
marjoram
Marjoram (; ''Origanum majorana'') is a cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted marj ...
. The snails are cooked and served in their shells.
In
Moroccan cuisine
Moroccan cuisine () is the cuisine of Morocco, fueled by interactions and exchanges with many cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine is usually a mix of Arab, Berber, Andalusi, and Mediterranean cuisines, with minimal Europe ...
, snails also called ''Ghlal'', are a popular street food. They are cooked in a jar filled with hot water, special spices, and herbs. After cooking, Moroccan snails are served in small bowls with broth and consumed hot. Moroccan snails are mostly enjoyed during winter as they are believed to be beneficial for health, especially when dealing with the common cold or rheumatism.
A city known for its snail culture is the town of Lérida, in the north-Spanish region of
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...
, where the ''L'Aplec del Caragol'' festival has been held since 1980, receiving some 300,000 visitors during a weekend in May.
Southeast Asia
Snails are consumed in Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Indonesia, snails from the rice fields are fried on satay (skewers), a dish known as ''sate kakul'', or grilled, Tondano 's ''sate kolombi''.
In the west of the island of Java, the snails from the rice fields are called ''tutut'' and are eaten with different sauces (curry, , etc. ).
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of ...
,
Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the ea ...
and
Nagaland
Nagaland () is a landlocked state in the northeastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south and the Sagaing Region of Myanmar to the east. Its capital cit ...
). In Nagaland, snails are prepared with axone and pork meat, especially fats. Locally it is called 'hamok.' In Manipur, they are called 'tharoi.'
* North India (states of
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
and
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
). In Bihar, especially in
Mithila Mithila may refer to:
Places
* Mithilā, a synonym for the ancient Videha state
** Mithilā (ancient city), the ancient capital city of Videha
* Mithila (region), a cultural region (historical and contemporary), now divided between India and Nepal
...
region, they are called 'doka', at other places in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, they are called 'ainthi.' They are boiled, and the meat is extracted to cook a curry, typically eaten with rice.
* A growing demand in South America, in particular, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.