Snails or Escargots?

Snails, or escargots, if you will, is an unusual delicacy and acquired taste for those with an unfamiliar palate. After all, these gastropods live in the soil and feed on algae and dead plants, why would anyone new to this delicacy want to try it?

Given the bad press snails have been getting in the past 6 months, the answer might be no one. Last June, over one hundred people contracted meningitis from eating apple snails at a local Beijing restaurant. Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, caused by the parasite carried by the snails, angiostrongylus cantonensis, when consumed undercooked or raw. In addition, the snail’s ability to withstand pesticides and droughts has been considered a nuisance to agricultural producers in southern China, where the warm climate is most favorable to these mollusks.

Before you snicker at this delicacy as pests, be rest assured - officials have confirmed that apple snails sold for consumption at local restaurants and eateries in Shanghai are safe. Also, the parasite causing meningitis is not exclusive to just snails, but is present in all freshwater products including fish, crabs, and shellfish. Contracting the parasite is fully preventable given that these shellfish are cooked at temperatures that reach up to 90° C or 194° F.

If you are still not convinced, consider this - Romans have been feeding on these creatures since the times of Caesar, and even influenced the French to adopt them as a delicacy since the mid-nineteenth century. In addition, it has been documented in ancient Chinese history that snails and their shells have medicinal purposes which calms asthma, detoxes, and disinfects. First introduced to Guangdong in the 1980s, snails were once a high-protein, low-fat staple food for farmers. Today, these mollusks have become commercially profitable, where exports of snail and snail-related products generated approximately US$33,656,000 for China in 2005, its biggest consumers Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, respectively, according to China Customs Statistics. With southern China providing the largest amount of exports, Shanghai alone generated US$30,000 in 2005.

So is it snails or escargots? Linguistically they’re the same thing, but in the culinary world, the differing opinions may lie in the way these mollusks are cooked. Escargot, a French word for snails, are traditionally cooked with red wine, stuffed, and buttered. On English menus, the word “escargot” is used for these traditional methods of French cooking. The primary difference between Chinese and French culinary styles lay in the spices in which the snails are cooked and the way these mollusks are presented. Snails in Asia are steamed and stir-fried with spices and sometimes stuffed, but usually cooked with peppers and thus spicy. The biggest notable difference between the ways snails in Asia are prepared compared to those aboard is that they are not gutted. However, only the body, or meat of the snail is edible, so do not eat the sack containing its internal organs and possible offspring. Also, in Asia, instead of a fork, you get a toothpick to enjoy your snails.

Please, do try snails, and ask for tianluo (田螺). If you decide to cook your own, make sure you purchase snails at licensed vendors, and clean the snails well by purging, or fasting the snails at least four days before you cook them to remove all possible toxins. Live snails are sold at the Oriental International Aquatic Products Trade Center on军工路in the 宝山 district, and cooked snails can be found at和豐樓or next door at上海老隍 in Yuyuan market, or nearby restaurants. Happy eating!