#escargot #snail #France #Burgundy
“Just like Kobe beef, white truffles, and caviar, escargot is 1 of the finest delicacies in the world” — Paul Ebeling
You have likely heard of escargot, and you likely associate it with snails because that’s what it is. As the word escargot is French for snail.
The Big Q: How did shells stuffed with snails rise to fame and garner a coveted place on 5-star menus?
The Big A: According to Smithsonian Magazine, people were eating snails as long ago as the Stone Age, roasting the mollusks over open fires.
Now though, preparing escargot can be a delicate task, and snails are often imported from France and other parts of the world.
Below is everything you need to know about this legendary French dish, from where to find escargot snails, how to enjoy them at home, plus what escargot tastes like.
Escargot is a snail served in its shell. While there are snails in water and on land, land snails are the ones sourced for escargot. Land snails are considered very healthy. They are low in fat and high in protein., chewy and smooth to the palate. Some say they taste like mussels, I say they taste like escargot.
In order to prepare the dish the snails are removed from their shells, and then cooked in butter, garlic, and wine sauce. To be served, escargots are then placed back in the shells and garnished with the sauce.
Most often categorized as an hors d’oeuvres, escargot can be an ingredient in many different dishes nowadays, like Chiocciole a picchi pacchi in Sicily, Kohli bourbouristi in Greece, and peppered snails in Nigeria.
While there are a lots of snail types eaten around the world, premium escargot come from Burgundy. Hence, Escargot a la Bourguignon as I came to know and enjoy them over 50 yrs ago.
Here is how to make Escargot
Here is how to eat Escargot
When it comes to how to eat escargot. Buy a set shell holders and pronged escargot forks for getting the snail meat out of the shell (I use a tooth pick), a baking pan for preparation (I use a skillet), and serving plates that feature little indentations where you place the shells. C’est très adorable, non?
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
