For my upcoming Global Journeys destination, I will be traveling to Paris, France. Paris is known as the City of Light and is one of the most visited cities in the world. France is filled with delicious dishes, and some of these dishes are not at all what we are used to eating; one of these dishes is Escargot, a dish I would love to encounter on my Journeys trip to Paris.

Escargot is considered a delicacy; In America, when you think of a land snail, you probably don’t think of a delicacy that dates back thousands of years; In France, specifically the region of Burgundy, escargot (snail in French) is considered an expensive food and a staple of the French gastronomy. Many people find escargot to be an exquisite dish; escargots have plenty of recipes to fit every preference and for people to prepare at home on special occasions.
The consumption of snails goes back to the time of the Romans, who had farms of snails known as heliciculture to supply the increasing demand. Heliciculture allows for snails to be raised for human consumption. Though escargots are low in fat, they are high in protein and water content, two significant components of the diet of Romans, and about any group of people of that time. During the middle ages, the eating of snails died out, for the church considered consumption of snails dirty and a sin. They later became of food eaten during times of famine or when sailors went on long trips, taking barrels filled with snails to eat as they explored the vast sea. Dishes made with snails are exclusive in France, as well some other European countries. Nowadays these dishes are high in prices, unlike back in the day.

The eating of escargot is part of the culture of the Burgundy region. In honor of such delicacy, they have a National Escargot Day, celebrated on the 24th of May every year. Because escargots are considered high-quality food, they are prepared traditionally and consumed during family celebrations and even Christmas. What used to be regarded as dirty food, is now saved for special occasions and is rather expensive to make; this is an example of a social-economical change in French society.

When elite restaurants (and families as well) are preparing their escargot, they purchase live snails for the best quality; these snails are purged for a few days by using fasting to clean the intestines. Though slimy creatures, the meat of the snail has a hard texture. Snail eggs are also consumed and are quite popular; it was (and still is) for some like caviar. The fasting process will also make the meat more tender in texture, but it takes a long time to prepare the snails. The snail is later taken out of their shell and is cooked traditionally. Traditional preparation of escargot involves the snails and their shells to be cooked in court bouillon; this is followed by filling the space in the shell with a blend of butter, finely chopped garlic and herbs such as parsley and at times rosemary. It is later placed in the oven and served with a glass of white wine when ready. The French even have a special dish to serve escargot, which presents the shell from moving around.

Gathering snails to consume is rather hard, but more manageable after a rainy day. Though the French love eating escargot, they protect the burgundy snail species. Like other animals humans consume, the extensive collecting of the burgundy snails during the 20th century (followed with wrongful farming practices and destruction of the snail’s habitat) directed to the species becoming rare. In 1979, Burgundy snails became a protected species, making it illegal in France to harvest the snails from April to March, which is the breeding period of this species.

France will continue to be one of the most visited places in the world, because of its beauty and abundance of unique foods that will leave tourists wanting more. I hope the French and other countries that consume land snails, continue to protect this species and eat it with moderation.

Sources

https://www.seriouseats.com/2008/08/best-lunch-paris-france-lescargot-montorgueil-snails.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escargot

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-stone-age-were-fans-escargot-180952444/

Escargot Fun Facts

https://expatexplore.com/blog/bon-appetit-introduction-french-food/