Where does the culinary tradition of eating escargots come from ?
Where does the herb butter preparation come from ?
Why are the escargots a festive product ? Why are they only eaten at Christmas ?
Why do some consumers find that escargots are unappetizing or don’t want to taste them ?
Is the escargot eaten with everything ?
Which beverages are served with the escargots ?
Which side dishes are served with the escargots ?
What do you need for the preparation and the consumption of the escargots ?
Which are the most important certifications for escargots?
Why aren’t there organic escargots de Bourgogne ?
Why isn’t there a “sustainable snails” eco-label, similar to the MSC, for wild snails?
Are there different species of snail?
Are there different sizes of snails ?
What is a snail’s caliber?
Why do snails shells come in different colors ?
What do snails eat ?
Are the snails we eat wild, or farmed?
How are wild snails gathered ?
Is harvesting detrimental to the species ?
What are the main threats to wild snails ?
Why do we have the impression that the escargot is becoming rare ?
Is farming a solution that might ensure a steady supply of snails ?
How are escargots prepared ?
Is escargot production industrial or artisanal ?
Are the prepared escargots served in their original shells ?
Are the shells reused multiple times ?
During the prehistory escargots were already eaten by humans. In the middle Ages, escargots were making troubles in the Burgundy vineyard so they were picked up and sent to the French capital to be sold and eaten.
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The recipe for “escargots à la Bourguignonne” with butter, garlic, parsley, shallots and spices was first served in the 19th century by Antoin Carême, the cook of Prince of Talleyrand, at a dinner held in honor of the Czar of Russia. Acclaimed by all the guests, it soon became the most renowned method of preparing escargot, and is now a part of France’s culinary heritage.
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Why is escargot considered a holiday dish? Why is it mostly served at Christmastime?
Escargot is an exceptional dish, and demands lengthy, painstaking preparation. That’s why, historically, it has been prepared only for special occasions and holidays with the family. Eating escargot is a sort of ceremony, requiring the use of snail tongs and a snail fork. There are only a limited number of wild snails available, and there wouldn’t be enough if consumption increased significantly. That’s why they are usually reserved for big occasions like the holiday season when people want to enjoy a special treat, much like foie gras or smoked salmon.
Why do some people feel uneasy about eating escargot, while others adore it?
We are often afraid of the unknown or unfamiliar. Many people who say they find escargot unappealing have never tasted it, and would probably be pleasantly surprised by the flavor.
Those who are disgusted by the external appearance of snails, particularly their slime, probably use cosmetics made from the same substance, which has many beneficial properties. When it comes to snails, don’t judge by appearances!
Do people eat the entire snail?
No, mainly the flesh (muscle) is eaten, after being hand-extracted from the shell and prepared.
Escargots are mainly served with white and red wines such as Pinot Noir or Riesling. But beer, sparkling wine and champagne are also popular to serve with escargots.
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Baguette is typically served with escargots. But they are also often eaten with a salad.
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There are special escargot plates with indentations, which are suitable for the preparation in the oven. However, as all our packaging contains ovenproof aluminium trays, this plate is not absolutely necessary. In addition, escargot tongs are often used, because the shells are still hot when they come out of the oven. But if you wait a few seconds, you will hold the shells without any difficulty into your hand. To remove the meat out of the shell, there are special two-pronged escargot forks, which simplify the removal. Of course this fork can also be replaced by a small pick.
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There are organic snail farms, subject to European Union specifications, where farming takes place outdoors with limited density and a specialized, sustainable diet. The resulting snails are certified organic. They can also be prepared with a filling made from 100% organic ingredients: butter, garlic, parsley, shallots, salt, and pepper.
In general, many escargot producers are “IFS” certified for their entire product line. This means that they meet extremely demanding quality and food safety standards, and undergo regular independent inspections. Escal is one example, and is even certified IFS Superior Level.
Why aren’t there organic escargots de Bourgogne?
Escargots de Bourgogne, just like other food commodities, can only be certified organic if they are organically grown or farmed. Organic production methods require control of all parameters. This simply isn’t possible when harvesting from the wild,and escargots de Bourgogne (Helix pomatia) cannot be farmed.
The same is true for all wild snails. That’s why there is only one species of snail that can be certified organic: petit gris and gros gris (Helix aspersa), the only species that can be farmed.
Why isn’t there a “sustainable snails” eco-label, similar to the MSC, for wild snails?
The MSC eco-label for wild-caught fish and seafood guarantees that products have been sustainably caught. It was created because ocean resources are threatened by overfishing and bycatch. Since snails are not currently in that situation, there is no need for such a label.
Yes, there are 3 main species :
The Helix pomatia, the only snail entitled to the appellation “escargot de Bourgogne”
The Helix lucorum, also known as the “Classic escargot”
The Helix aspersa, also called the “petit gris” or “gros gris”
Each species has its characteristics, which you can learn more about here.
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Yes. The size or “caliber” of a snail depends on its age when harvested. The snail is an animal that grows continuously throughout its life. An escargot de Bourgogne, for example, can live 20 years or more, and its shell can grow to a diameter of over 40 mm.
Of course, the various caliber available on the market are for adult snails. In order to preserve the species, regulations do not permit the harvest of younger snails.
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Whether it’s “medium” “very large” or “extra large”, a snail’s caliber is determined by the weight of its meat. The caliber lets consumers know the size of the escargot they are going to eat.
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The colors of snail shells vary according to both the species and the snail’s environment. To view the different species’ shells, click here. There are also nuances of color within each species depending on the snail’s diet and type of environment.
Snails only eat plants. Their diet varies according to their environment. This can cause slight variations in flavor and texture within a single species.
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Escargots de Bourgogne and classic escargots are wild snails, and are always gatheres, like wild mushrooms.
Petit gris and gros gris may be either gatheres in the wild or farmed.
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Wild snails are gathered by hand at the appropriate time, that is to say in early spring, when the warm weather has just started and it’s raining. Gathering, also called harvesting, happens sometimes between March and June, depending on the country, and lasts around six weeks. The harvest stops when mating season begins.
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No. The reproductive cycles are carefully respected, and snails that are too young are not taken. Also, because gathering is done by hand, only a very small number of snails are harvested. Snails like groves of very thick vegetation, and many avoid being harvested because the gatherers can’t see them.
On the other hand, snails are very sensitive to environmental pollution, and generally disappear from contaminated areas.
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The principal threats have to do with current industrial practices and lifestyles: agriculture and its associated phytosanitary products, pollution, the grouping of agricultural land (which leads to fewer groves and hedges), and the prolonged dry spells by climate change.
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There are still as many snails as ever in protected natural areas. However, harvests depend on the weather: when it’s very dry, the snails won’t come out. When it rains a lot, the grass grows too quickly and hides snails from the gatherers. That’s why harvests can vary widely from year to year.
In addition, for the past several years, the Central European countries have been experiencing a constant rural exodus, leading to a reduced number of snail gatherers. The remaining gatherers have a growing number of opportunities for other kinds of work, such as collecting aromatic herbs and mushrooms or making manufactured products in new factories located in urban areas. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find snail gatherers.
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No, not really. It wouldn’t help with escargots de Bourgogne and classic escargots, because they cannot be farmed. Together, the two species account for nearly 99% of all escargot consumed. Farming would also require dedicating a great deal of space to raising snails, 60 times more than what is currently used. Lastly, farming would significantly increase the price of snails.
In the countries, where they are harvested, live snails are purged for 10 days, then boiled. After that, the meat is trimmed: the digestive tract is removed to leave only the muscle mass. The next steps are to washed, blanch and freeze the meat. All the tasks are performed entirely by hand. Meanwhile, the shells are washed, dried, sorted by size and prepared.
In our factory in Strasbourg, the snail meats are cooked in an aromatic broth before being reinserted by hand into their shells. After that, they are coated –again by hand!– with herbed butter prepared on site. To see a video on escargot production, click here.
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We prepare our culinary escargot entirely by hand. Remember that snails are tiny little creatures with delicate shells and an unusual shape. That means it is virtually impossible to mechanize the steps of putting the snails back in their shells and stuffing them with butter. The shells and the meat are too fragile and mechanical processes are not precise enough.
No. The shells and the meat are cleaned and prepared separately, well before the meats are returned to the shells? That means the shells are the right size for the escargots, but each individual snail is not matched to its original shell. In fact, sometimes the meat from Burgundy snails (Helix pomatia) is presented in the shell of Classical snails (Helix lucorum), because the latter are more abundant and have sturdier shells.
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No. None of the shells we use have ever contained anything other than a once-living snail.
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Snail shells contain calcium, just like egg shells, so you can compost them.
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